Romero Criticizes Tottenham’s Squad Depth Following Draw with Manchester City

Cristian Romero was forced to leave the pitch due to illness during Tottenham’s recent 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

The team captain, Cristian Romero, labeled it “disgraceful” that Tottenham had only 11 senior players available for the match at home.

Tottenham has faced significant challenges, losing nine players to injuries in 2026, selling last season’s top scorer Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace, and adding only two senior signings during the January transfer window.

Romero has taken to social media recently to voice his concerns, previously stating in a now-edited post that certain members of the club’s hierarchy “only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.”

In a post on Instagram following the match, Romero praised his teammates for their performance, despite his own illness. He stated, “Great effort from all my team-mates yesterday; they were incredible. I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available—unbelievable but true and disgraceful.”

He continued, “We will keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that’s left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans.”

In the January transfer window, Spurs secured Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid and 19-year-old Brazilian defender Souza from Santos. They also brought in 18-year-old Hearts forward James Wilson on loan on transfer deadline day, although he will be integrated into the under-21 squad.

In response to Romero’s prior comments, manager Thomas Frank suggested that the 27-year-old Argentine center-back should keep certain matters “internal.”

Tottenham had aimed to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo in January, but he opted to join Manchester City instead. Frank noted that the club “did everything” they could to secure the player.

He added, “The fans just want the best for the club, just like I do, along with the owners, the staff, and the players. Everyone wants the best for the club. But the transfer window is not Football Manager, unfortunately. It is not. It would be a lot easier, but also a little bit more boring.”

Currently, Spurs, who won the Europa League last season, find themselves in 14th place in the Premier League, closer to the relegation zone than to European qualification spots, although they have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League.