Most likely candidate for Spurs captaincy revealed if Son departs
Romero's leadership credentials have grown steadily since his arrival in north London, but his partnership with Micky van de Ven during Spurs' impressive Europa League run last season firmly established him as the defensive cornerstone of Thomas Frank's side.
Atlético de Madrid made enquiries earlier this summer, but Spurs have held firm, making it clear they would not entertain offers below £60m for the Argentine. With the Spanish club now backing off, Romero looks increasingly likely to play a pivotal role not just in defence, but in the dressing room as well.
The 27-year-old has relished responsibility, and the departure of Son – who is expected to finalise his MLS switch after Spurs return from their Asia tour – could see Romero given the armband permanently.
Tottenham's defensive structure is beginning to take shape around him. Kevin Danso has joined permanently following a successful loan from Lens, while Radu Drăgușin continues his recovery from a serious knee injury. Ben Davies, though traditionally a centre-back under previous managers, was deployed at left-back by Frank in the recent friendly against Reading.
Meanwhile, Luka Vušković's future remains under consideration. The highly rated 18-year-old Croatian, signed for £12million from Hajduk Split at 16, is attracting interest from several Bundesliga clubs after standout loan spells in Poland and Belgium.
Vušković impressed on his Spurs debut last weekend, scoring and assisting within eight minutes of a 2-0 win at Reading. However, despite his promising displays, he remains behind Romero, Van de Ven, Danso, and Drăgușin in the pecking order.
Frank is understood to be weighing up whether Vušković should go out on loan again, potentially to the Bundesliga, or stay and gain experience in English football. Either way, Romero's status as the defensive leader – and perhaps the next captain – is already shaping the way Spurs manage the future of their young talent.
📸 Justin Setterfield - 2025 Getty Images
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Herefordshire jockey Hollie Doyle wins at Goodwood Festival
HEREFORDSHIRE horse rider Hollie Doyle was celebrating her latest success at the Qatar Goodwood Festival Meeting last week. Doyle was on board Witness Stand who sprung a 25/1 surprise in a dramatic G2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes. There was drama even before the gates opened when two-time Lennox Stakes winner Kinross was withdrawn after being kicked by Audience, while soon after the start, Royal Ascot winner Noble Champion was pulled up by Kieran Shoemark. The seven-furlong contest was run at a searching gallop, with three horses going clear from an early stage. One of those was Witness Stand, who travelled up strongly over two furlongs out and never looked in any danger afterwards under Doyle. Lake Forest (11/1) fared best of those from off the pace as he went down by almost three lengths in second, while last year's winner Audience (3/1JF) was third having been unable to go with the winner in the straight. It is a breakout success for Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole, who started training in partnership in 2023. Insole was formerly assistant trainer to Charlie Hills. Insole said: 'I have been involved in a lot of big winners, and to actually train one myself is pretty special. My grandad was a jockey and a trainer, and my uncle Will Kennedy was a National Hunt jockey. So racing is in the blood and I did them all proud today. 'We bought Witness Stand for 100,000gns at the horses-in-training sales. He went under the radar and we immediately had offers of more money for him. I already had this race in mind and he ran a great race at Chester last time, when they broke the track record. The bit of ease in the ground helped him and he looked pretty good. 'I wouldn't have run him if we didn't think he had a good chance. The Chester run gave us confidence to come here. It is lucky that I put him in the Group One Prix de la Foret this morning. That is looking like a pretty good idea now. He is in the Hungerford Stakes but will have to carry a penalty in that now, so we will see. 'We have had an amazing season. That is 27 winners now. We have a really good team. Hopefully we can keep going and keep getting these big winners.' Doyle said: 'A great training performance by Jamie Insole and Dr Richard Newland, plus everyone back at home, to get this horse back on track, not winning in handicap company but in Group company. 'He has some really good form, is a Listed winner and, on ratings, he wasn't far behind Audience. He had quite a lot to prove but he stood up. It is a bit of a shock to the system but Jamie wasn't shocked.' Lake Forest's rider Tom Marquand said: 'We were always going to be reliant upon the second wave getting up to the first wave, and they just lost touch with them, which made it tough work for us. 'You can only go as fast as you can go in mid-race, and this fellow wasn't really travelling. I opted to go back inside to see if I could save a bit of ground but ultimately it made no difference. The winner had gone, he'd sailed, and it's tough to bridge those gaps on a track like this.'
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bryan Zaragoza reveals ‘Aspas factor' in Celta Vigo transfer decision
Celta Vigo have pulled off a major transfer coup in signing Spain international Bryan Zaragoza ahead of the 2025/26 season. Claudio Giraldez has lost Fer Lopez to Wolves, with Jorgen Strand Larsen also staying at Molineux, after a loan stint with the the Premier League side last season. The Galicians are boosted in the efforts to bring in new players after securing qualification for the UEFA Europa League for 2025/26 and Giraldez has secured some shrewd deals. Former Barcelona duo Ferran Jutgla and Ilaix Moriba have made the move to Vigo but Zaragoza would represent a real coup. On the back of those agreements, Giraldez has prioritised new faces in his wide areas and Zaragoza's form on loan at Osasuna in 2024/25 flagged the former Granada winger as an option. The 23-year-old has seen his career dip at Bayern Munich, and the Bavarians were happy to let him go, after securing a swoop for Luis Diaz from Liverpool. Image via Getty Images Giraldez has now managed to hold off the challenge of other interested La Liga sides with Zaragoza joining on loan for 2025/26. Aspas seals Zaragoza loan move to Celta The deal with Vincent Kompany's side includes a purchase clause in 2026 with Celta obliged to buy Zaragoza if he meets certain targets within the deal. Zaragoza is excited by a return to Spain and he admitted a chat with the club's iconic captain Iago Aspas played a vital role in his final decision. 'I followed Celta last year and they had a very good season. They have a very good combination of styles and they're very direct. 'When I'm going to sign for a team, I always try to see if the game suits me, and I think I fit perfectly into Claudio's style of play. 'Good things take time. In the end, I'm here. I was able to come, and I hope to be here for much longer. I spoke with Iago Aspas three or four times all summer and that helped.'
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool CLOSING in on agreeing Alexander Isak transfer
Liverpool are now closing in on convincing Newcastle United to agree the transfer of Alexander Isak. The Reds have already had one bid rejected by Newcastle this summer for the services of the Swedish international. 🔴 🚨2025/26 LFC x adidas range🚨 LFC x adidas Shop the home range today! LFC x adidas Shop the goalkeeper range today LFC x adidas Shop the new adidas range today! But that is not going to deter Liverpool from quelling their interest in Isak. Richard Hughes has identified him as his dream target for the summer window and he knows he still has a good chance at bringing him to Anfield. Despite Newcastle's reluctance to allow Isak to leave, the Swede has made it clear that he sees his future elsewhere. More specifically, he sees his future at Liverpool. That strong desire and Isak's actions to train in Spain rather than in Newcastle's own facilities on Tyneside after missing their tour to Asia make his intentions clear and will force Newcastle's hands. It has already forced them to react. 🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas away range They are making moves to source replacements for Isak. As Craig Hope from the Daily Mail said on his YouTube channel, it's only after these moves that the club would then allow Isak to leave. And now it seems like that could be a step closer. Newcastle's primary targets seem to be Benjamin Sesko and Yoane Wissa. Both of them now look likely to end up at Newcastle, putting Liverpool within inches of being able to agree a deal for Isak. In the English media Sesko's decision still seems up in the air. However, back in his homeland, Slovenian outlet Delo has claimed that Sesko has already agreed to join Newcastle. The only aspect that remains is the Magpies agreeing a deal with RB Leipzig. Although this appears to be quite close as well. Once Sesko signs, the doors will open for Liverpool to sign Isak. But there's still one condition to meet. Newcastle want to sign at least two strikers to replace Isak. The other striker in the club's sight is Wissa from Brentford. After losing their manager and several of their key players, Brentford have been reluctant to sell Wissa. However it seems like their stance has changed. After Sky Sports reported that Wissa decided not to play in Brentford's friendly this weekend, talkSPORT has now claimed that Brentford have changed their stance on their player leaving the club. They are now open to selling Wissa, which is another significant boost for Liverpool in this never ending chain to secure Isak. Nonetheless, it seems like things are heading in the right direction. Liverpool are closer and closer in their dream to sign Isak. Right now it feels like a matter of when, not if. With Newcastle closing in on their targets, an agreement for Isak is just around the corner.
