Cristian Romero Criticizes Tottenham’s Squad Depth Amid Injury Crisis

Cristian Romero was compelled to leave the field due to illness during Tottenham’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

Following the match, captain Cristian Romero described it as “disgraceful” that the team only had 11 senior players available. Spurs are currently facing a significant injury crisis, with nine players sidelined since the beginning of 2026. Additionally, the club sold last season’s top scorer, Brennan Johnson, to Crystal Palace and made only two senior acquisitions during the January transfer window.

Romero has recently voiced his concerns on social media, previously criticizing the club’s leadership for only appearing when circumstances are favorable. In a now-edited post from January, he remarked that officials “only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.”

In an Instagram post following the match, Romero praised his teammates for their performance, despite his own illness, stating, “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 further emphasized the importance of resilience and unity among the players: “We’ll 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 window, Spurs added Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid and 19-year-old Brazilian defender Souza from Santos. They also secured 18-year-old Hearts forward James Wilson on loan on transfer deadline day, although he is expected to join the under-21 squad.

Responding to Romero’s earlier post, manager Thomas Frank advised that the 27-year-old Argentine center-back should address some matters privately. Tottenham had expressed interest in signing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during January, but he ultimately transferred to Manchester City, with Frank asserting that the club had done everything possible to secure the player.

“The fans just want the best for the club, just like I do, along with the owners, staff, and players. Everyone desires the best for the club,” Frank added. “However, the transfer window is not Football Manager, unfortunately. It is not. It would be much easier, but also somewhat more boring.”

Despite winning the Europa League last season, Tottenham currently finds itself in 14th place in the Premier League, closer to the relegation zone than to European qualification spots, though they have advanced to the last 16 of the Champions League.