Four Tottenham players who could replace Cristian Romero as vice-captain - Opinion

Cristian Romero has long been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur may need to appoint a new second in command.

Ange Postecoglou surprised some when he named Cristian Romero as his vice-captain alongside James Maddison. It was hard to imagine the aggressive defender in a leadership position, because he lacked discipline on the pitch and often took his challenges too far.

Despite this, he has excelled in the role and even wore the captain’s armband during Tottenham’s Europa League victory over Manchester United. However, Romero has been linked with Atletico Madrid, while a recent report has claimed Real Madrid are ready to enter the race for Romero.

With the Argentine’s future up in the air, Thomas Frank may need to consider who he will appoint as his new vice-captain. Here are four players who could fill the role:

Dejan Kulusesvski is the obvious choice for Tottenham

Heung-min Son has faced criticism as Spurs captain and many were calling for Dejan Kulusevski to replace him. The Swede speaks his mind and does not shy away from making statements which may not make him too popular in the dressing room.

Kulusevski slammed Tottenham as ‘not good enough’ after a North London derby defeat in January. He was outspoken once again in April following a loss to Nottingham Forest, calling on his team to take responsibility.

Spurs supporters want players who are willing to own up to their mistakes and actually show emotion, rather than dishing out generic, media-trained messages.

Kulusevski can certainly deliver in that department, although he does need to be doing enough to earn his place in the starting lineup, after a lacklustre second half to last season.

Micky van de Ven could be given a chance

Replacing one centre-back as vice-captain with another would be a logical decision and Micky van de Ven deserves the promotion as much as anyone. He comes across well in interviews, remaining cool, composed and confident.

Van de Ven is one of the best players in the Tottenham first-team squad and is the type of player who would thrive in a role of leadership.

Pedro Porro should be a contender

Not so long ago it looked like Pedro Porro would be playing his football away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. These days, he looks committed to the cause at Tottenham and his performances were on an upward spiral towards the end of last season.

Despite Djed Spence finally having his breakthrough season at Spurs, Porro still looks to be a comfortable starter. He played more minutes than most during the last campaign and plays an important role as a forward-thinking full-back. Soon to be 26 years old, now could be a good time for him to join the leadership trio at Tottenham.

Rodrigo Bentancur has previously been tipped to become Tottenham captain

Many at Tottenham see Rodrigo Bentancur as a future club captain. The 28-year-old is a balanced midfielder and has clearly earned the respect of big figures in the Spurs hierarchy.

However, he was at the centre of a controversial incident at the beginning of last season which saw him banned by the FA for seven matches. His behaviour was pure stupidity and not the kind of thing a leader would do. Spurs can only hope he has learned from the experience and will be ready to rise to a new challenge.

Concluding thoughts on the Tottenham vice-captaincy

Ideally, Cristian Romero will remain at Tottenham and no decision will need to be made on vice-captains. However, Frank may choose to appoint his own squad leaders, which is perfectly acceptable. 

Of all the suggested players, Kulusevski makes the most sense, but he has to play at his best and ensure he is making the Spurs starting lineup on a weekly basis. If his struggle for form continues into the new season, perhaps van de Ven or Porro would be a better player to claim the role.

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