Thomas Frank has named Cristian Romero as the new Tottenham Hotspur captain following the summer departure of club legend Heung-min Son.
The World Cup winner was one of Tottenham’s vice-captains last season, alongside James Maddison, and has been a key player since he joined the club.
He stepped in to wear the armband on a regular basis under former Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou and was seen as a natural leader in the dressing room.
With Son calling time on his spell in North London, Frank was tasked with naming a successor, and after careful consideration, he decided that Romero was the right man for the role.
The Argentine centre-back strengthened his claim after he was named Player of the Match in Tottenham’s UEFA Europa League final success against Manchester United in Bilbao.
Frank’s decision will raise eyebrows
Romero is the natural next in line to the captaincy after Son’s exit, but his appointment will raise several eyebrows nevertheless.
The 27-year-old centre-back was heavily linked with a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this summer amid interest from Atletico Madrid.
He had made it clear that he wanted to play in La Liga at some point in his career and was eager to take up a new challenge when Tottenham brutally dismissed Postecoglou.
While a move never materialised, Romero’s long-term future may not be at Tottenham, considering he has just two years left on his contract.
Frank explained how he came to the decision of naming Romero as the new captain and backed him as a player with “all the right qualities” to get the job done.
“I had a good conversation with Cuti Romero, and he’s going to be our captain,” he told Tottenham reporters (via the club’s website).
“He was very honoured and very happy about it. It’s a big thing and should be to lead this wonderful club out on the pitch, not just for this Super Cup, but also throughout the season.
“I think he has all the right qualities. He leads from his behaviour on the pitch, driving the team forward in every way, and outside the pitch, he’s always pushing the team.”