De Zerbi Discusses Romero Exit Pact: Commitment for Freedom
Roberto De Zerbi has laid bare the agreement that paved the way for Cristian Romero’s desire to move on from Spurs, insisting he will not stand in the defender’s way after a promise made in the spring.
The Italian head coach, who arrived in April with the club staring at trouble, said his first weeks in charge were dominated by one-to-one talks as he tried to steady the dressing room and the season.
“At the beginning of my time, in April, I had, I don’t know, one million individual meetings,” De Zerbi said, as quoted by Metro. The message in those conversations was blunt and simple: commit now, and you can choose later.
“[The players] told me what was their idea. I said: ‘Yes, help me to stay up, and then I help you to leave’. If you don’t help me to stay up, you stay underwater with me!”
That pact now underpins Romero’s wish to seek a new challenge. De Zerbi made it clear he will honour the defender’s decision, even as he called him “one of the best centre-backs in the world”.
The respect, he stressed, runs both ways. De Zerbi was effusive about Romero’s attitude during a turbulent run-in.
“Romero with me was unbelievable. Top, in his behaviour, his respect, he suffered when he did not play the last game,” the Spurs boss said. He also moved to knock down suggestions that the World Cup winner had checked out early.
“It is not true that he wanted to leave for Argentina to prepare for their World Cup. It’s not true.”
The relationship did not end with the final whistle of the season. De Zerbi revealed that he and Romero exchanged messages after Argentina’s semi-final against England, but he drew a firm line at trying to talk the defender out of his decision.
“After the semi-final [against England] we text a message, but I never called him to convince him to stay. I respected what he told me. Like for [Guglielmo] Vicario, like for every player.”
That principle now shapes Spurs’ summer: a manager determined to build around players who truly want to be there, even if it means losing a defender he openly calls one of the very best. “Romero as a player is one of the best centre-backs in the world,” De Zerbi said, “but at the end I said I want to respect the will of the players.”
The promise was made in April. The bill comes due now.
