Tottenham fans were eagerly anticipating the debut of Cristian Romero following his move from Atalanta in the summer of 2021, hoping the Argentine would be a revelation to the Spurs defence. Just over a year on from his debut it's safe to say that, when fit, he has proven to be a Rolls Royce of a defender.
The 24-year-old has seemingly struck the perfect balance between chaos and composure and his favoured position on the right of a Spurs back three has allowed him to be aggressive in the tackle and chase down attackers with intent.
While he teeters very carefully on the edge of fair but firm, he is a massive boost to Spurs' backline when available and his commitment to playing is admirable as Antonio Conte alluded to in his Liverpool pre-match press conference where he said: "Romero I can tell you that for him, if I ask the possibility to play with one leg, he wants to play with one leg."
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His determination to want to play every game is clearly there for all to see, but Spurs fans are unfortunately still waiting to see Romero at his peak as consistent runs in the team continue to be halted. Minor injuries saw him make only 22 Premier League appearances last season, and currently also sees him unavailable.
On the international stage, Romero has made 12 senior appearances for Argentina with the bulk of those coming in their Copa America campaign in the summer of 2021.
Romero was a big factor in his country winning the competition and he was even named in the team of the tournament, with seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and Argentina captain Lionel Messi specifically highlighting Romero's impact - and says the centre-back has a big future ahead.
The Paris Saint-Germain star said in the Netflix documentary Sean Eternos: Campeones de America: "Cuti’s appearance was extraordinary for us, for the future of the team and for that moment."
Outside of those who intently follow Spurs or Argentina, not many are aware the qualities Romero has and while it's possible he may not feature again for Spurs before the World Cup, he could prove to be a difference-maker in the second half of the season if he can stay fit.
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