Tottenham Hotspur have found themselves in a precarious position in the Premier League for the second time in two seasons and have been forced to put their heads down.
Ange Postecoglou could have won the Europa League in 2024/25, but he was given his marching orders after finishing 17th in England’s top flight.
Thomas Frank was the man tasked with leading the Lilywhites into backing up the division this time around, and it looks like the Dane could suffer the same fate.
With 13 games remaining this season, his side sit 15th in the division, just six points off the drop zone, with many teams below them currently in much better shape.
As a result, the possibility of an unthinkable relegation battle could become a reality, but the manager will be without one senior member for many upcoming trips.
Why Romero will be stripped of Spurs captaincy
Following the departure of Son Heung-min in the summer, Frank’s first task was to appoint a new club captain, and he then handed that responsibility to centre-back Cristian Romero.
In making the decision, the manager said he believes he has “all the right qualities” and that he is setting the right example with his “behavior on the pitch”.
But such remarks are certainly outdated considering the 27-year-old’s on-field antics this season, which have seen the defender sent off twice.
His first sacking was in the home defeat to Liverpool in December, when the Argentine appeared to kick Ibrahima Konate and was given his marching orders.
Romero’s second red came against Manchester United last weekend and his lofty challenge on Casemiro left his team-mate with a mountain to climb at Old Trafford.
His number of sending offs has since increased to six in just four-and-a-half seasons in North London, but there is no doubt that his reckless nature has taken a toll on the first team at key moments.
The perfect candidate to be Spurs’ new captain
As mentioned above, many players have been blessed with the responsibility of wearing the armband and leading Spurs’ forwards, and Korean forward Son has managed to thrive in that role.
He led the team to European glory last season, becoming the first player to lead the club to a trophy in 17 years. This undoubtedly cemented him in the club’s history.
Other players such as Harry Kane have also had the privilege of wearing the armband, with the club’s record goalscorer often leading by example, which is what Frank wants from his leaders.
However, there is no denying that Romero has not lived up to expectations and has struggled to cope with the responsibility that such a situation brings on the pitch.
His latest sacking should definitely be the last straw for the Argentine, with Frank now having to hand over the responsibility to his centre-back partner Micky van de Ven.
The Dutchman has been a great option for the Lilywhites in recent years, having joined the club from German side Wolfsburg in a £40m deal in the summer of 2023.
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The 24-year-old has since gone on to make 82 appearances for the club during this period and has become arguably one of the club’s most important players, with the club now reportedly valuing him for a whopping £100m in January.
Coach Frank named him part of the leadership after taking over, allowing the defender to wear the armband as a stand-in in Romero’s absence.
Described as ‘world class’ by presenter Adam Smithee, Van de Ven has been a shining light in the Lilywhites’ backline this season and his impressive stats are clear.
He has completed 89% of the passes he has attempted so far this season, while creating only 0.2 chances per 90, subsequently highlighting his impressive ball-playing qualities.
Micky van de Ven – Statistics for 2025/26 | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | twenty three |
Number of points scored | 4 |
Pass accuracy | 89% |
An opportunity has arisen | 0.2 |
tackle win | 1.2 |
aerial won | 1.3 |
dribbling success | 60% |
recovery has taken place | 3.5 |
The Dutchman has been equally impressive when not in possession, winning 3.3 duels out of 90 games this season and leading the way in 1.3 aerial duels per game.
He also has 1.2 tackles and 3.5 ball recoveries per 90, and his incredible speed often saves him and his teammates from numerous dangerous situations in the defensive third.
Van de Ven’s record of four goals in 23 league appearances is testament to his quality in attacking areas, and also highlights his leadership qualities to step up when necessary.
As mentioned above, the responsibility of a captain at Spurs is to be someone who can produce results and push the club in the right direction, and Romero was unable to do that.
Van de Ven certainly has both of those talents in abundance, and Frank desperately needs to make the call and snatch the armband from the Argentine.
Worse than Romero: £25m star should have no future at Spurs at all
Cristian Romero is not currently on the Tottenham supporters’ ratings.
