If the biggest task for Tottenham Hotspur as June begins is to figure out the future of manager Ange Postecoglou, then the second-biggest task is definitely to figure out the future of star center back Cristian Romero.
Just a few weeks ago, it appeared to be a foregone conclusion that Romero would be leaving Tottenham, as Atletico Madrid were in hot pursuit of the 26-year-old central defender and had apparently even agreed to a deal with him. That obviously wasn't the case, and after his crucial performances in must-win Europa League knockout games, Romero has become someone Spurs fans desperately want the club to keep.
After giving an interview a month ago in which he said he dreams of a move to LaLiga, "Cuti" struck a completely different tone and had a more positive and Spurs-centric outlook when discussing what lies ahead for him.
Cristian Romero didn't commit to Tottenham
In an interview with Los Edul, the Argentinian international stated, “I’m happy. They make me feel like an important player. I’m going to give my best until the last day I’m here.”
On the one hand, that's a nice thing to say about Tottenham and seems to go hand-in-hand with the renewed optimism that the 2024/25 Europa League Player of the Tournament will remain with Spurs for the 2025/26 season and beyond.
But cynically, perhaps, it doesn't mean that Tottenham are out of the woods yet. Because Romero said that he's currently "happy" and feels "important" but will give his best until his "last day". He didn't say that he's "staying" or that his "last day" will be "years" from now.
Romero is playing a more political game than he did a month ago when the vice captain starting going on about dreaming of LaLiga at a time when Tottenham needed focus. He's smartly leaving the door to his future open while saying positive things about Spurs so fans don't get the wrong idea, but he's also not getting anyone's hopes up by committing to Tottenham.
Of course, part of that has to do with the fact that Romero doesn't 100 percent control his own destiny. What if Atletico or Real Madrid send Tottenham an offer they can't refuse? What if Daniel Levy sees the dollar signs on the transfer market again and makes another dumb decision to sell an important player for less than what they are worth to Tottenham?
As much as Spurs fans may want to take an overwhelmingly positive message away from what Romero is saying, nothing changes with that quote. Because Romero may secretely think that his "last day" with Spurs already happened and his Europa League Final performance against Manchester United was that example of him fighting until the end. Hopefully, that's not the case, but when it comes to Tottenham, it pays to be at least a little bit cynical.