Cristian Romero has bid an emotional farewell to Tottenham after admitting he was “not perfect” during his five years in North London.
The Argentina international is closing in on a move to Atletico Madrid after the Spanish club agreed a deal worth £34.2m for the centre-back.
Romero has not played for Spurs since suffering a knee injury against Sunderland in April. The defender was visibly emotional as he left the pitch, with the injury ruling him out for the final six Premier League matches of the campaign.
His absence came during Tottenham’s battle against relegation, and he also drew criticism from some supporters after initially planning to return to Argentina for Belgrano’s Primera Division Apertura final before Spurs’ decisive last game of the season.
Romero ultimately stayed in England and was present at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs secured Premier League survival with a 1-0 victory over Everton, finishing 17th for the second consecutive year.
In a farewell message posted on social media, Romero reflected on his time at the club.
“I know I wasn’t perfect,” he wrote.
“But I can leave knowing I always gave everything. I wore this shirt with pride and fought for it with all my heart.”
“When I arrived, I had one goal: to leave my mark on this club,” Romero added.
“I knew that could only happen through hard work, sacrifice and by achieving something people had been waiting for for a long time – winning a trophy. Together, we managed to do that.
“I’m leaving Tottenham, but a part of me will always stay here. I came here as a player and I’m leaving feeling like one of you.
“Thank you for everything.”
Romero joined Tottenham from Atalanta in 2021 and established himself as one of the club’s key defenders, making 156 appearances across all competitions.
The highlight of his spell came in 2025 when he helped Spurs end their 17-year wait for silverware by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final.
