At long last, Tottenham Hotspur have finally agreed to sell star center back Cristian Romero, who has been on the transfer block for months after pretty much sealing his fate when he tried not to be around the team on Matchday 38 in the relegation decider vs. Everton.
Romero will leave Spurs to Atletico Madrid, the club that wanted him going back to last year, for a fee of 40 million euros. Following the sale of the former captain, here are the five biggest winners and losers of the move.
Winner: Tottenham Fans
By far, the biggest winners of the deal are the Tottenham Hotspur faithful. They had become jaded and totally sick of Cristian Romero as the captain, as he was clearly mailing it in from January onwards, one of the biggest culprits in Spurs descending into becoming the worst team in the entire Premier League at one point with a lengthy winless streak. The fans are ready for a squad of players who only believe in the club and will not give up on them, as Romero seemed to always put himself over Spurs at the end of the day.
Loser: Roberto De Zerbi
While the sale itself does not make Roberto De Zerbi the loser here since it was obvious Romero had to go once he made it clear the club was not No. 1 to him, it is a reminder of what could have been. At his best, Romero is a world class center back, and he is particularly excellent on the ball, which De Zerbi would have made great use of if Romero's heart were actually in the right place at Tottenham. It's a shame the two never truly got to work together.
Winner: James Maddison
When Xavi Simons returns from his own ACL tear, James Maddison won't be part of the best Tottenham Hotspur XI, but he is a slam dunk to be the next captain after Romero. And he will be a big upgrade in that regard. He is unselfish, calm, fully COYS, and a more consistent player. Spurs fans will embrace him as the new Capi.
Loser: Inter Milan
Inter Milan were actually closest to the Romero deal, but they were lowballing both the center back and Tottenham for the transfer, leading to Atletico Madrid finally swooping in and claiming the Argentinian international. Inter may look back on failing to close this deal with some regret.
Winner: Micky van de Ven
Romero was clearly a bad influence on Micky van de Ven, whose play faltered badly when Romero was at his worst, and he was almost hung out to dry by the former World Cup winner while his own play deteroriated. But by the end of the season with Roberto De Zerbi coaching and Romero out of the lineup injured, Van de Ven grew into his own. He is now the top dog at Tottenham, and he will enjoy playing alongside countryman Jan Paul van Hecke more than he did next to Romero.
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