Spurs fans had a major scare when they saw Son Heung-min limp off to the tunnel at half-time of South Korea’s friendly against Vietnam yesterday (Football.London), but thankfully, the forward played the second half without any discomfort and even got on the scoresheet.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur reacts following the team’s victory during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Romero injury is not thought to be serious for Spurs

Just when it seemed like all the Tottenham stars had come away unscathed from international duty, it emerged that Romero might have a problem.

The 25-year-old was replaced by Real Betis defender German Pezzella just after half-time yesterday, and The Standard reported that the Tottenham man came off due to injury concerns.

This information was also backed up by All About Argentina, who stated that Romero complained of discomfort at half-time.

Looks like Cristian Romero has a discomfort, German Pezzella replaces him.

— All About Argentina (@AlbicelesteTalk) October 18, 2023

Fortunately, The Athletic have since reported that Romero will be assessed by Spurs, but early indications are that the injury is not serious and he could still play against Fulham on Monday.

Spurs Web Opinion

Let us hope that Romero only came off as a precaution and it is not a serious issue that could put him out of action for a few weeks.

Centre-back is the one area where we cannot afford any injuries as Postecoglou would be forced to turn to Dier, who the Australian seemingly does not trust.

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Romero has been on fire for Spurs so far this season, putting his troubles of last campaign under Antonio Conte well and truly behind him.

The central defender has forged an impressive partnership with new signing Micky Van de Ven, and the Spurs vice-captain is now the senior figure in a new-look backline.

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Romero continues to show his world-class ability

Following Argentina’s World Cup victory last year, the standards are certainly high back in his home country, but Romero continues to impress more and more with every trip back to South America.

TyC Sports claim that Romero was pressing high against Paraguay last night, taking risks with his positioning but also reaping the rewards for his bravery.

They gave the centre-back an eight out of ten rating for his performance, where he earned a win and a clean sheet. The publication wrote: “The level of risk he assumes in each advance is as high as it is effective. It psychologically demolishes his rivals.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Cristian Romero is taking his game to the next level this season. The mistakes are getting fewer and further between, while the level of his performance has taken to new heights. Long may it continue!

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The 2022-23 season was a bittersweet one for Romero as although he made history by helping Argentina win the World Cup, the centre-back struggled to produce consistent displays for his club, particularly in the second half of the campaign.

The former Juventus man admitted during the summer that he was not happy with the standard of his performances last season but insisted that he is looking to put that behind him and showcase his best this season (The Athletic).

Romero has certainly managed to do that so far, having formed a formidable partnership at the back with new signing Micky van de Ven.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 02: Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 02, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Cristian Romero is loving life at Tottenham

The centre-back seems to have matured due to the additional leadership responsibility he has now been handed, with Ange Postecoglou making him Tottneham’s vice-captain.

While on international duty with Argentina, the 25-year-old said (via Gaston Edul): “I’m really enjoying the moment at Tottenham.”

Spurs Web Opinion

There seems to be a feel-good factor around the Tottenham squad at the moment, which was evidently missing last season. That is probably down to the fact that Ange has taken away the fear of failure and asked the players to express themselves on the pitch.

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Tottenham have had to deal with a whole host of injuries over recent weeks, with Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic now out with long-term injuries while Brennan Johnson is out of action for a few more weeks (The Evening Standard).

Meanwhile, Ryan Sessegnon has been sidelined since the start of pre-season with a hamstring injury while Rodrigo Bentancur is continuing his rehabilitation from the ACL injury he picked up back in February.

Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP) (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

Has Gio Lo Celso been rushed into Argentina duty?

With James Maddison and Son Heung-min also playing through some minor issues recently (The Athletic), Ange Postecoglou would be hoping that Giovani Lo Celso is back in action soon.

Tottenham revealed a couple of days ago that the 27-year-old is out training on the field at Hotspur Way as he steps up his rehabilitation.

Gio stepping up his rehab

@LoCelsoGiovani pic.twitter.com/WyzhJpMvQJ

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 4, 2023

Surprisingly, Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has now named the midfielder in the Albiceleste squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru despite the fact that the Spurs man has not kicked a ball for well over a month.

BREAKING: ARGENTINA SQUAD ANNOUNCED pic.twitter.com/cfsgHGLCcA

— All About Argentina (@AlbicelesteTalk) October 5, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

We have seen in the past that Scaloni is certainly not shy of pushing players to play even if they are not 100 per cent fit. So, there is a very real chance that he will use Lo Celso in one of the two games, which might not please Postecoglou and Spurs.

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Following Argentina’s 1-0 win over Ecuador last week, a game in which Romero played a starring role, there were some suggestions that the Tottenham man might have picked up a knee injury (Luis Fregossi). 

Thankfully, it did not prove to be a serious issue, with the centre-back starting for the Albiceleste in their clash away at Bolivia.

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Cristian Romero was lucky not to pick up an injury

It turns out that the 25-year-old once again had a close shave, with Ole revealing that there was a ‘very dangerous’ tackle on the centre-back which could have seriously injured him.

They explain that it took place in the 35th minute when Bolivian left-back Roberto Fernandez came up with his foot straight onto Romero’s ankle. While Fernandez was first shown a yellow card, the referee decided to change that to a red following the intervention of VAR.

The outlet states that it was ‘lucky for Scaloni and Tottenham’ that Romero did not get a serious injury, which could have sidelined him for an extended period.

The publication goes on to add: “The strike was very strong and caught the Argentine centre-back in the wrong position. He ended up hitting the ankle, which bent on the grass. It was nothing, but it was one of those images where you end up seeing serious injuries.”

Spurs Web Opinion

South American football can be extremely nasty and a player like Romero, who taunts opposition players and makes strong challenges, is going to find himself on the receiving end of some nasty tackles quite often.

That is why everyone associated with Spurs are on the edge of their seat and nervous about the 25-year-old’s fitness each time he links up with the Argentina squad. 

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Romero was one of the best performers on the night for Argentina last Thursday as they emerged with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Ecuador. 

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The Tottenham man was lauded for his solid display by the Argentine press (Ole via Sport Witness) but it appeared as if it might have come at a cost, with journalist Luis Fregossi taking to social media subsequently to reveal that the centre-back had suffered a knee injury.

Spurs fans were facing a nervous wait as the reporter explained that the 25-year-old’s injury would be examined closely before a decision was made on whether he should return to London.

However, the Tottenham faithful breathed a sigh of relief when Romero was pictured training with the Albicelestes squad over the weekend.

Romero is fit and ready to play once more this week

Scaloni has now confirmed that the Spurs vice-captain is indeed fit to feature against the Bolivians this evening.

When asked about the fitness of Romero and his centre-back partner, Lisando Martinez, the Argentine boss told Mundo Albiceleste: “Both are fit to play the match, we’ll see if they start or not. Or even not play. They only trained for the typical precautions.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The worry for Tottenham fans is that even if Romero is not 100 per cent fit, he is the sort of character to play through pain, especially for his country.

So, if the 25-year-old does start against Bolivia, Postecoglou and everyone associated with Spurs will be watching on nervously, hoping that he comes through unscathed. 

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Even though it was Lionel Messi who popped up with the match-winning goal in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Bolivia in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday, Romero has widely been acknowledged as the best player on the night.

Messi himself said after the game that the Tottenham star was the man of the match and described him as the best central defender in the world, with the comments also backed up by midfielder Rodrigo de Paul (Mirror).

Praise from his teammates did not end there for Romero, with a similar sentiment being echoed by Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez in his comment on the 25-year-old’s Instagram post.

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni said after the game that he has ‘no words’ to describe the centre-back’s performance, likening him to ‘He-Man’ (D-Sports).

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Cristian Romero is a leader for club and country

Unsurprising, Ole have now waxed lyrical about the Spurs star, noting that he led the charts for recoveries, duels won, tackles and aerial duels won against Ecuador.

The outlet goes on to add that Romero played with his ‘body, soul and spirit’ in the clash in Buenos Aires.

Spurs Web Opinion

The Argentinean players and media evidently cannot get enough of Romero, with the Tottenham man already a nationwide superstar. He must now be one of the favourites to get the captain’s armband when Lionel Messi hangs up his boots.

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Romero was the star of the show for the Albiceleste in their win on Saturday, with the Tottenham man delivering a typical battling display to keep Ecuador out.

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni described the Tottenham man’s performance as ‘incredible’, even comparing the defender with ‘He-Man’ (D-Sports).

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Injury worry for Cristian Romero on Argentina duty

However, it looks like the 25-year-old’s showing has come at a cost as it has now emerged that he suffered an injury during the clash.

Fregossi has taken to social media to reveal that Romero picked up a knee problem (“a contracture in the rectus posterior of his right leg”) against Ecuador, which might prevent him from flying to Bolivia for Tuesday’s clash.

The journalist explains that the extent of the injury is not yet known and it will be evaluated today before a decision is made on whether the centre-back should return to Tottenham.

A esta hora Leo Messi está mas afuera que adentro del partido con Bolivia. El capitán argentino arrastra una fatiga muscular y no se lo quiere arriesgar en la altura de La Paz

— Luis Fregossi (@LuisFregossi) September 8, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

Romero being out injured is the nightmare situation for Postecoglou, given that he is lacking in options at centre-back. The worry for Tottenham is that the 25-year-old is the sort of character to potentially play through a minor injury for Argentina, thus risking more severe damage.

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Romero has started the season very impressively for Tottenham, looking more like the player he was when he first arrived at the club in 2021 rather than the error-prone defender we saw for much of last season.

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The centre-back, who has now been appointed as the club’s new vice-captain by Ange Postecoglou, has emerged as the leader of Spurs’ young backline.

Not only has he been extremely solid at the back but he has also chipped in with two goals in the first four Premier League games, which included a thundering hit into the top corner in Tottenham’s 5-2 win over Burnley last Saturday.

Argentina boss blown away by Cristian Romero

It now looks like Romero has taken his club form to the international scene, with Scaloni left speechless by the performance that the 25-year-old delivered in the World Cup qualifier over Ecuador.

The Albiceleste boss told D-Sports: “I have no words for the match Cuti Romero had. During the home games, people motivate him and he thinks he’s a He-Man, he can run 70 metres. He is an impressive centre-back, he played an incredible game.”

Spurs Web Opinion

We know that Romero gives his 110 per cent every single time he steps onto the field, which is why there is always a concern that he will pick up an injury during the international break.

With Argentina having a tough away trip to Bolivia on Tuesday, which will likely be a very physical encounter, Spurs fans and Postecoglou will be waiting with bated breath to see if the 25-year-old returns unscathed.

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Christian Eriksen had made it clear that he no longer saw his future in North London and would soon depart for Inter Milan, and it was hoped that our new ‘lock picker’, would be the Argentinian.

Indeed, there was excitement all around that summer when Tottenham brought in a highly sought-after young Frenchman Tanguy Ndombele, explosive Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn and supposed ‘generational talent’ Ryan Sessegnon. Oh summer of 2019, how foolish you made us look! Of the four, the only one who possibly has a future with the club this season is the Argentinian.

Things did not start well for Lo Celso at Spurs. He arrived injured and by November of that year, the current manager of Chelsea had been removed from his job (BBC Sport). The roles these new signings were supposed to play in the post-Champions League Final Tottenham rebuild would never come to light.

In drove Jose Mourinho (in a bus) armed with defensive football and an obsession with sitting (unsuccessfully) on 1-0 leads, and out went attacking football and supporter happiness. The potential new attacking Pochettino era was over; killed in its tracks.

Following Mourinho’s unceremonious departure just before the League Cup Final, two other defensive-minded managers followed, before the arrival of Ange Postecoglou. Yet due to Tottenham’s startling inability to sell players, Lo Celso is still at the club despite being seen as surplus to requirements by Jose, Nuno and then Antonio.

So finally, we have come full circle and are at a place where Lo Celso is finally paired with an attack-minded manager. However, does that mean we will finally see the flamboyant, creative best that he has been shown only for the likes of Argentina and Villareal over the past four years?

Could Lo Celso earn a spot in the Postecoglou XI?

Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP) (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

The first question that has to be asked is: Does he want to give it another shot at Tottenham? It must be frustrating for Lo Celso every time a new manager walks through the door and the same questions up over and over. Does the manager trust him? Can he fit into the new formation? Where does he fit into the team?

The honest truth, in my opinion, is that Tottenham have failed Lo Celso during his time at the club. The manager who signed him was acrimoniously dispatched, and his subsequent replacements did not know how to utilise him.

He has played an array of positions in midfield and in the forward line, but never cemented a regular place. Indeed, playing in the same position for several games in a row would have felt like a win for Gio! Tottenham has not been a happy place for him.

By contrast, if Lo Celso returns to Spain he is a known quantity and is respected and valued as a player. There are no question marks over his ability or suitability to the league. As supporters, we are very excited by the prospect of Ange-Ball, but for Lo Celso is it just another dawn, false or otherwise?

There is definitely interest from Spain. Xavi apparently named the Argentinian as a potential new signing (The Sun), but their offer, if one was ever made was probably close to a hugely reduced price, an unwanted academy player and a tour of the Nou Camp when it finally reopens.

Positively, noise from the club suggests that Gio is open to staying. “He fits the way we play. I enjoy working with him and he seems to enjoy working with us.” Was Ange’s assessment of Gio during preseason (The Standard).

The key word here is ‘seems’ as Lo Celso appears somewhat of a closed book, but judging by his demeanour on preseason, he maybe be coming around to the idea that ‘the times they are a changing’ in N17.

So how would he fit in a Postecoglou system? For Gio the answer is simple. As one of the adventurous eights in the three-man midfield. I spoke to professional football coach, Coach B (@InvertTheWing) about what we can expect from Lo Celso. All quotes in the last section of this article come from him.

“Lo Celso will blossom in a system where he can play freely, but at the same time not be the only source of generating an attack.”

By having multiple creative outlets, hopefully, Gio will find he has more time on the ball. Like another ex-Spur and Argentinian Erik Lamela, I always felt that Lo Celso needed that extra split second on the ball that you cannot afford to have in the Premier League. Maybe that was down to the system? Also, it’s harder to quickly disperse the ball if you only have one or two outlets to look for.

In our two preseason games, admittedly against lower-level opposition, Lo Celso has looked very comfortable in the new system. He has found pockets of space to operate in and has been adept at moving the ball on either out wide or filtering the ball through to the forwards. It was also noticeable how he was taking fewer touches and recycling the ball a lot faster.

Like Maddison, he has also found himself in the box and able to have attempts at goal. This is a player who does know where the goal is. In his last season at Real Betis, he scored 16 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions (Wikipedia) – if we could unlock this player, then we really are in business.

Many supporters, myself included, see Lo Celso operating as an alternative to Maddison in the formation. However, others see another opportunity, with Ange Postecoglou deploying the pair in tandem in a similar manner to which, De Bruyne and David Silva used to operate for City.

In this system, Lo Celso would have a higher impact in the “build-up play and making the pre-assist, rather than just being judged by his assist and goal numbers.” The prospect, although theoretical, is mouth-watering.

One thing we have to address is Gio’s injury record, especially in England. Whilst being at Tottenham he has suffered injuries to his: knee, hamstring, thigh and hip amongst others. In total missing 45 matches between 2019-2022 (when not on loan).

Before moving to Tottenham, he did not appear to struggle with injuries, and since being on loan he has only had one significant injury – the one that prevented him being part of Argentina’s successful World Cup squad (TransferMarkt).

The optimist in me would like to think he is a more robust player and his injury woes are behind him, yet a part of me wonders whether his body can stand up to the high intensity and physicality of the Premier League week in and week out. In his favour, this time round is that he has had a smooth preseason and hopefully this will positively impact on the year ahead.

Only time will tell whether we will see a Lo Celso renaissance this year. Some think Lo Celso could have the season of his life and perform in a way we have yet to see him perform in a Tottenham shirt. I am yet to be totally convinced, but I really want to be. If you are highly rated as a teammate by Leo Messi, surely that means something?

Tottenham have had a rich history of Argentinians in the past; will Lo Celso end up regarded like someone like Lamela – moments of brilliance but sometimes flattered to deceive, or will he edge closer to the rarified air of someone like an Ardiles? I doubt he will reach Ossie levels of greatness, but somewhere in the middle will definitely be good to see.

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Tottenham may have a formidable array of attackers at their disposal already, but it seems they have one eye on the future as they put the finishing touches to their latest transfer, 19-year-old Argentinian striker Alejo Veliz.

Here’s everything you need to know about Alejo Veliz.

(Photo by Rodrigo Valle – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Name: Alejo Veliz
Age: 19-years-old
Place of birth: Bernardo de Irigoyen, Argentina
Current club: Rosario Central
Former clubs: N/A
International appearances: 9 caps for Argentina U20s, 3 goals (Transfermarkt)
Club appearances: 62 senior appearances, 19 goals (Transfermarkt)

Alejo Veliz career stats

The 2022/23 campaign saw Alejo Veliz in prolific form, with a record of a goal in almost every other game in the Argentine league. The young forward bagged 11 goals in 23 matches for Rosario Central (Transfermarkt).

As far as the Primera Division goes, Alejo Veliz was right up there as one of the top attackers last season. The starlet was just two goals away from being the league’s top scorer. He also recorded the fourth most shots on target, with 27 across the campaign (FBref).

He also had a strong showing at the U20 World Cup on a personal level. Despite Argentina failing to make it past the second round, Veliz scored a goal in each of his nation’s three group games (Transfermarkt).

Alejo Veliz strengths and weaknesses

At 6ft2in, Veliz is a towering presence at the top of the pitch, and he puts his strength and aerial ability to good use regularly. It is very likely you will see Veliz converting headers in the box, and there is no doubt that he has impeccable finishing, too. 

If he has the likes of Heung-min Son, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski around him, there is every chance that Veliz will produce impressive attacking returns.

However, it has to be noted that the Argentinian league is a far cry from the English Premier League, and the difference in the standard of football may make it difficult for Veliz to adapt initially, if at all.

The 19-year-old has plenty of time to learn and develop his game, and that will undoubtedly happen under the watchful eye of the coaches at Tottenham.

At the moment, Veliz is pretty much a raw goalscorer with plenty of physical attributes, but his wider game leaves a little to be desired. He will need to hone these skills to become a more accomplished and effective player.

What are people saying about Alejo Veliz?

According to journalist Dan Kilpatrick, Alejo Veliz is a “promising youngster” but is someone who will need to be given time to develop. Kilpatrick suggested Veliz should not be considered an “immediate first-teamer” for Spurs.

Recently, football pundit and South American football expert Tim Vickery revealed his apprehension about Veliz. Vickery told Sky Sports that while Veliz is a talented goalscorer, he fears he may “struggle” to make an impact in the Premier League.

Twitter user and Spurs fan Jaco certainly seems excited about the prospect of Veliz signing for the club, however. Jaco described Veliz as “the most prolific teenager in South America,” and a player whose move to Spurs is seen as a “huge deal.”

What do The Spurs Web think?

While it is unclear whether Alejo Veliz will have what it takes to adapt to the Premier League, we have certainly got a very promising young striker on our hands here.

He’s a formidable finisher and a very strong player given his age. If he is nurtured correctly, there is every chance we could have a superstar in the making joining Spurs.

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The goal came in the 54th minute of the match at the Jakarta Gelora Bung Karno Stadium when Giovani Lo Celso took a corner from the left-hand side of the pitch which he floated onto the head of Cristian Romero to find the back of the net.

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Lo Celso provides the assist for Romero on Argentina duty

It was a dangerous delivery from Lo Celso into a busy penalty area which saw Romero lose his marker to get enough space to power his header beyond the goalkeeper to wrap up the victory in Southeast Asia.

Cristian Romero with a clean header to put Argentina up two over Indonesia. pic.twitter.com/gFkLgOvkIt

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 19, 2023

Lo Celso’s future in North London is once again the subject of speculation with the midfielder who spent last season on loan at Villarreal having been linked with a move back to his former side Real Betis (Estadio Deportivo).

Romero missed the last two matches of Tottenham’s disappointing Premier League campaign and will be hoping for a more consistent season when it comes to form after some patchy performances in what was a turbulent campaign under Antonio Conte at the back from the Spurs defence.

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Lo Celso has been an indispensable part of Argentina’s set-up under Lionel Scaloni and was expected to play a big part in Qatar but just weeks before the start of the tournament, the midfielder suffered a hamstring injury.

Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

That meant that the 26-year-old missed the Albiceleste’s glorious World Cup campaign as they made history by lifting the trophy for the first time in 36 years.

Lo Celso was in Qatar to cheer his teammates on and celebrated with them after the final but he has now opened up on the heartbreak of finding out he would not play a part in the tournament.

The Tottenham man, who is currently on loan at Villarreal told TyC Sports: “When I found out that the injury prevented me from playing in the World Cup, that I had to have an operation, I spent three or four days in which all I did was cry in the bathroom, but life gives and takes away, it gave me the birth of my daughter.

“Then I wanted to be with the team, with them, and I was able to experience everything, the birth of my daughter and then celebrate with my teammates.

“If it was up to me, I would go to the World Cup on one leg, but I had to have surgery, many months of recovery.

“When I saw that in the previous friendly, they came out with a banner, I began to cry alone in my house and I realised what it meant to be in the national team.

“Eternally grateful to my teammates for all the gestures and displays of affection they had with me.”

Lo Celso regained full fitness earlier this month and was included in Argentina’s squad for March’s international break.

The midfielder registered two assists in the South American side’s 7-0 win over Curacao in a friendly clash on Tuesday.

Speaking after the game, he said: “It is a very exciting moment for me, to put on this shirt again, which is the most beautiful of all.

“To enjoy again with my teammates on the field after many months. With an injury this long, you have very hard times.

“I tried to enjoy it to the fullest, again with the group, with the team and with our people. It was a reason for celebration for everyone.

“Life, like football, gives revenge. When I had no other option but to have an operation, I had to turn the page.

“In all this time, the only thing I thought about was putting on this shirt again and enjoying what it was today.

“Playing in the Argentine national team is the ultimate dream of every player and today I am grateful to life for giving me this opportunity. Grateful to the coaching staff and the players.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Since last year’s World Cup was Messi’s final one, would have been the pinnacle of every Argentinian player’s career. 

So, one can imagine Lo Celso’s devastation at finding out just weeks in advance that he would not play any part in the tournament.

It sounds like the 26-year-old is using the heartbreak as fuel to push himself to bigger and better things.

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Lo Celso signed for Tottenham back in 2019 from Real Betis, in a deal reportedly worth £55 million (Guardian).

The dynamic midfielder has never quite lived up to his promise in North London, with just eight goals and six assists across 84 appearances for Spurs (Transfermarkt).

Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

The Argentina international has spent the season on loan with Villarreal but has only managed 16 appearances for the La Liga side (Transfermarkt).

Injury issues have decimated Lo Celso’s season out in Spain, and saw the 26-year-old miss the World Cup in Qatar, too.

Lo Celso has 41 caps for Argentina (Transfermarkt) and it’s very likely he would have added to that tally had injuries not kept him out of the squad for the tournament at the end of last year.

He had been a mainstay in the South American nation’s line-up until the injury took hold.

Now, the report from El Periodico Mediterraneo claims Lo Celso is ready and raring to go in the final months of the current campaign.

Apparently, the player wants his own form of “revenge” as he looks to overcome the “severe” physical and mental blows he has suffered over the last year.

Having missed out on a World Cup winner’s medal, Lo Celso is now determined to “win a title” with Villarreal, most specifically the Europa Conference League where the Spanish side are still competing.

The report states the player now believes his “time has come” to put things right.

Spurs Web Opinion

I wish Lo Celso all the success out there with Villarreal.

It must have been so difficult to see his country win the World Cup without him, and he must be desperate to get out on the pitch and win a trophy to make up for it.

I’m not sure if he has a future at Spurs, but we still want to see a Tottenham player thrive in some way, shape, or form.

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Romero ended up playing something of a key role for Argentina as the South American side went on to win the World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year.

The Spurs centre-half started all but one of the games at the tournament, and impressed in the final in particular.

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The 24-year-old was thought to be at risk of not even making the World Cup however, after a hamstring injury kept him out of Tottenham’s last five games before the break for the tournament.

Luckily, he recovered in time and was able to be involved in the competition in its entirety.

A recent article from TyC Sports featured an interview with Romero, where he spoke of his worries over the injury at the time, stating “the diagnosis that they had given me here at the club was not positive.”

Romero apparently went on to say, “Here they exaggerated it a bit, they told me: ‘It’s impossible for you to be there for the group stage’, and I already knew that it wasn’t going to be like that.”

However, the player has since posted on social media to clarify his comments and stress the fact that he has nothing but respect for the Tottenham medical staff.

He tweeted: “I don’t like it when you want to create something that I didn’t say about today’s interview.

“The highest respect always for Tottenham’s medical staff.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Whether Romero said those comments in the original interview, or if they were said in a different context perhaps, we may never know.

But they did sound a little bit critical of the Spurs staff, so it’s good that he’s come out and cleared the air like this.

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Romero’s career has gone from strength to strength over the last two years. After being named Serie A’s defender of the year in 2021, the combative centre-half then moved to Tottenham (ESPN).

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

The 24-year-old has been a revelation since arriving in England and has quickly established himself as one of Tottenham’s key players over the course of 45 appearances for the club (Transfermarkt).

It’s been an even more impressive trajectory for Romero at international level, though. Despite having just 19 caps to his name (Transfermarkt), Romero has already won the Copa America and the World Cup with his country.

Romero played all seven games for Argentina out in Qatar, starting all but one of them as the South American side made it all the way to the final.

In an in-house interview, Romero discussed the elation he felt after winning the World Cup with his country and the special feeling of sharing that moment with his family.

He said: “I’m very happy for achieving in one year everything with my country. For me, it’s the best, especially a World Cup. I think it is the most important trophy that I could have won as a player and I am very happy to have won it with my country.

“For us, it was very important, we did it and so we’re happy for everyone in Argentina and for the squad. I was fortunate to have my family with me and that is very important.

“My son, who recently turned one year old, was there, and for me to see him there, excited for me, celebrating next to me, it gave me a lot of strength. Both he and my wife are always there for me, so it’s double the excitement and joy.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Cristian Romero has achieved in a year what most players would spend a lifetime trying to achieve, and he is only going to improve as a player, too. He’s such a crucial part of our defence and is the kind of player we should be building our team around.

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(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Winners

Cristian Romero

The young centre-back is clearly Tottenham’s most obvious winner from the Qatar 2022 World Cup as Romero will be the only player returning to Tottenham with a winners medal around his neck, despite how close his club teammate, Hugo Lloris, came to back-to-back glory as Argentina were victorious on penalties

Romero managed two clean sheets over his World Cup campaign, his performances at the tournament were made even more impressive when it’s considered that Cristian joined up with the Argentinian national team with a hamstring injury (Football.London) and he hadn’t played a match since the injury back in late October.

Romero started the World Cup with only eighty minutes across Argentina’s first two opening games but after his start against Poland, a game in which Argentina secured their ticket to the knockouts, Romero stayed in the starting eleven all the way to the final.

The 24-year-old has now helped Argentina end their 36-year wait for World Cup glory and has forever immersed himself in a moment of history as Messi and Argentina eclipse the achievements of Maradona for ‘La Albiceleste’. 

Harvey White

The winners of this World Cup for Tottenham aren’t necessarily the players who have been there, it’s some of the ones that didn’t.

A perfect example of this is 21-year-old Tottenham academy graduate Harvey White who has had an extended period of attention and time with the first team due the absence of many first-team regulars. White has subsequently undertaken an unusually prominent role in the Tottenham starting eleven in both of the publicised ‘mid-season’ friendlies against Motherwell and Nice.

The Tottenham youngster has become a constant in the Spurs youth teams but has appeared to have struggled to make the leap from the youth squads to the first team, but perhaps this World Cup has worked in his favour and allowed for the first team coaches to inspect White more closely and therefore hand him two starts, in a slightly unusual, forward role.

White is more of a recognised midfielder, but his versatility and age means that Conte clearly feels he can deploy him in various areas of the pitch as the Italian told SPURSPLAY ‘Harvey White played like a number nine, he is a young player that I think is really, really intelligent, he can play in any role’.

Harvey is also known to be a real danger from set-pieces and seeming as Tottenham haven’t scored a direct freekick since Son’s effort against Watford at the start of the 2021/2022 season, White could offer something a little different to Tottenham over the upcoming seasons.

Matt Doherty

Matt Doherty’s time at Tottenham has been an incredibly unusual one as the Irish international joined Spurs in the summer of 2020, when Jose Mourinho was in charge.

The fee seemed as if Tottenham had picked up a bargain at about £13.4 million (Football.London) as the Wolves wing-back had contributed 7 Premier League goals and assists over the 2019/20 season for the West Midlands side (FotMob).

Despite the deal being impressive, Doherty failed to fit into Mourinho’s plans as Doherty only featured 17 times in the league (FotMob) and failed to adapt to a less attacking, full-back role.

Therefore, when Antonio Conte arrived it seemed destined for Matt Doherty to be the Italians’ chosen right-wing back, which he was for several months after he finally seemed to rise above Emerson Royal in the pecking order.

Doherty scored twice and assisted four times under Antonio Conte in the 2021/2022 season and helped Tottenham push towards the top four until he was then injured by Matty Cash on the 9^th of April (Sky Sports).

The thirty-year-old finally returned to fitness just for the start of the new season, but it had got to October and Doherty had still not managed to work his way back into the starting eleven, even when Emerson Royal wasn’t impressing.

When Antonio Conte was questioned about Doherty ahead of the game away to Eintracht Frankfurt the Italian manager claimed ‘I’m not seeing him in the right way to start the game. I’m not stupid, I don’t want to lose.’ (Football.London)

This quote seemed harsh and in stark contrast to the opinion Conte had of Doherty before his injury. It appeared as if Tottenham’s right wing back position was starting to become a messy situation with Emerson not performing well and fans not impressed, Doherty apparently not being ‘in the right way to start a game’ and Spence seemingly out of favour.

However, when it reached the World Cup none of Emerson, Doherty or Spence had been selected for their national teams, giving Antonio Conte time to inspect and work with each of the different right-sided wing backs.

It seems as though Matt Doherty has been the player who has excelled and impressed the manager the most. Something that would have undoubtedly helped is the fact that the Irishman scored three goals across Tottenham’s ‘mid-season friendly games’ against Motherwell and Nice.

Doherty was subsequently picked for Tottenham’s return to action on Boxing Day against Brentford and despite the game being frustrating Doherty seemed to be one of the more impressive players on the pitch and looked threatening going forward as he created two big chances and made six passes into the final third (FotMob).

It certainly seems Doherty has made the most of his time off and he now should have a crucial few games coming up where he could reclaim his position in the starting team for good.

Losers

Richarlison

It feels strange to claim that a player who has won goal of the tournament (FIFA) and had overall an impressive World Cup a ‘loser’ of the tournament. However, when you look at Richarlison’s time at the World Cup from a Tottenham perspective, it can be hard to not feel a little frustrated.

Richarlison has had a rather stuttering start since joining Spurs, with his match-winning brace against Marseille being his most memorable moment so far, but it seems as though whenever the Brazilian gets going, he’s hit by an injury, and this World Cup appears to have handed the former Everton forward another setback.

Richarlison had a battle for his fitness ahead of the World Cup after he picked up a calf injury against his former club, Everton, back in the middle of October (Eurosport). However, Richarlison did get some Premier League minutes before he joined up with the Brazil national team, even though he didn’t look like he was fully fit and firing when he featured.

Richarlison started his tournament with a bang as he kicked off Brazil’s campaign with a brace against Serbia. Brazil progressed into the round of 16 where Richarlison started and scored in a 4-1 win against his Tottenham teammate, Heung Min Son of South Korea, a clash against Croatia awaited Brazil and as one of the favourites for the tournament, the ‘Selecao’ were fancying their chances to win it.

However, there started to be injury concerns raised about Richarlison’s fitness ahead of their game against Croatia, Richarlison did start the match, but he looked slow and played as if he was carrying a slight knock, he was subbed off after 84 minutes with extra time looming.

Therefore, the ultimate reason why this World Cup hasn’t particularly helped Richarlison at club level is that he is expected to be sidelined for another month as a result of his ‘hamstring injury’ (Evening Standard), Richarlison is likely to miss some crunch games for Tottenham as a result with games against Arsenal and Man City (twice) upcoming.

Harry Kane

The whole of the Tottenham fanbase will be feeling for Harry Kane after his agonising penalty miss against France in the quarterfinals which basically ended England’s World Cup hopes. It’s a painful moment for Kane who is notoriously clinical from the penalty spot, he did miss one recently against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League but before that his misses from the spot were very rare.

As the England captain he has taken his responsibility in the exit as he posted stating ‘it’s come down to a small detail which I take responsibility for. There’s no hiding from it, it hurts and it’ll take some time to get over it but that’s part of sport’ (@HKane – Twitter)

It seems unfair for Kane to be the man who has put England out after the countless goals he’s scored and the perhaps understated impressive performance that Kane put on throughout the World Cup as he ended the tournament with two goals and three assists across the five appearances he made (FotMob).

As expected, it appears that Kane has picked himself back up and is focussed on Tottenham again as he scored on his return to club football against Brentford.

Tottenham’s pursuit of Sofyan Amrabat

Back in January of 2022 the Tottenham squad was significantly weaker and appeared in a phase of transition under Antonio Conte. Spurs had chased Adama Traore and Luiz Diaz for the majority of the winter window (Express), only for both to make eventual moves to Barcelona and Liverpool respectively.

However, as well as a winger/wing back Paratici and Conte clearly had a central midfielder on their January wish list, especially as 2019 summer signings: Giovanni Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele were set to depart on six-month-long loans (Sky Sports).

A player who was a target for Tottenham, therefore, was Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat. Amrabat was highly rated by people within the game as Rino Foschi, a former sporting director, claimed that ‘Whoever takes Amrabat makes a bargain: he will make up for it.’ (Football.London)

Tottenham looked set to sign the Morrocan midfielder as one report stated that ‘Tottenham agreement for Amrabat: only the ‘yes’ of the player is missing’ (Viola News).

However, Tottenham decided to complete the moves for Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur in the final days of the window, leaving Amrabat at Fiorentina.

But now that the Qatar World Cup has been and gone, Sofyan Amrabat’s name is one that isn’t only being mentioned in the same breath as Tottenham but now various top clubs around the world, most notably Liverpool (Mail Online). Tottenham appear to still be interested in the Moroccan after his very impressive World Cup campaign with the semi-finalists (Mail Online).

However, now Fiorentina have reportedly ramped up their asking price to match the midfielders’ impressive World Cup display as ‘Viola’ are now demanding around 40 million euros for the player (Relevo).

Tottenham are clearly big appreciators of Amrabat and it’s likely after his impressive World Cup display that their expectations of the player have been met, but with interest from other big clubs and a high price tag, Amrabat may go on to be a top player at another club meaning Tottenham will be kicking themselves about not making the transfer happen back in January 2022.

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A week after the World Cup triumph, the parties are still seemingly continuing in the streets of Argentina, which is not surprising considering that they got their hands on the trophy after a 36-year wait.

Romero’s father revealed to La Voz a couple of days ago that Tottenham have requested the defender to return to Hotspur Way ahead of the clash against Brentford on Boxing Day.

The 24-year-old will not play any part in Spurs’ trip to the Brentford Community Stadium on Monday but the former Atalanta man has now dedicated his World Cup medal to the Tottenham faithful after the support he received from the fan base.

He said: “I wanted to send this video to all the Spurs fans and thank you all for everything this month. You’ve been writing to me, supporting me. Wishing you all the best. See you soon. So my medals dedicated to you. Thank you.”

Watch his video below:

Cuti has a message for you, Spurs fans pic.twitter.com/8hBqfjVHxR

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 23, 2022

Spurs Web Opinion 

I love Cuti and I believe he has fully earned the right to celebrate for a whole week after making history with Argentina. However, this message seems like a forced PR attempt by Spurs to ensure some fans do not turn on the defender when he misses the clash against Brentford.

The post ‘See you soon’ – Cristian Romero sends thank you message to Spurs fans appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Fernandez perhaps did not come into the World Cup as a guaranteed starter for Argentina but the 21-year-old ended up being one of the Albiceleste’s most important players in Qatar, as the South American nation got their hands on the World Cup for the first time in 36 years.

(Photo by Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Spurs were credited with an interest in the 21-year-old even prior to his switch from River Plate to Benfica this summer (Fichajes).

O Jogo now claim that clubs from England, France, Italy and Spain have all gotten in touch with Benfica over Fernandez on the back of his showing at the World Cup, with Tottenham being one of them.

However, it is explained that the Argentine has a release clause of €120m (£105m) and that the Portuguese club will not let him leave if the clause is not met.

The report further adds that the midfielder’s agent has already had conversations with Liverpool, with a switch to Anfield said to be Fernandez’s ‘priority’.

Spurs Web Opinion

Fernandez was sensational at the World Cup but his value is incredibly inflated on the back of the tournament. The midfielder has not done enough in his career to warrant a price tag of around £100m. I do not expect any club to pay that amount for the 21-year-old in January. 

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Romero arrived at Tottenham last summer and has made quite the impact since. He is now regarded as a key figure in the Spurs backline and has built a formidable reputation as a combative centre-half.

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Not one to shirk a tackle, Romero is renowned for making his presence felt when it comes to the opposition attackers.

He has featured in just 13 games this season for Spurs due to injury problems and missed the last five games of the domestic season before the international break (Transfermarkt).

The 24-year-old regained his fitness and match sharpness just in time though, and featured in every game for Argentina as they battled their way to the World Cup title in Qatar.

Despite just 19 appearances for his country (Transfermarkt), the Argentine press are enamoured with Romero it seems (La Voz Del Interior), calling him one of the best in the world in his position.

Former Arsenal striker Wright has been impressed too, as he revealed his surprise at how Romero kept his cool during the World Cup final.

He said: “You know who I thought was going to be chaotic and he wasn’t as bad as I thought he was going to be, especially in this game, was Romero.

“I thought Romero controlled himself because he has got that Argentinian ‘no-one bleeping passes, if you go past me, then I am fouling you.'”

Spurs Web Opinion

I totally understand where Wright is coming from on this one, as we have seen before just how wild Cristian Romero can be. Even at the best of times, his passion can sometimes get the better of him, but he kept his head really well in the World Cup final and came away with the top prize. I can’t wait to see him back in a Spurs shirt.

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