Cristian Romero confirms his own Spurs exit before club announce it with 286-word statement

Spurs captain Cristian Romero has issued a statement on Instagram confirming his transfer - despite the club having not yet announced it.

Spurs have agreed a fee worth £34.2 million to sell the Argentina centre-back to La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

Romero had interest from Inter Milan, who needed to sell France defender Benjamin Pavard before they could make a move to sign the 28-year-old.

He has recently returned from the World Cup, where he helped Argentina reach the final, but it has long been clear that he had almost certainly already played his final game for Spurs.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi indicated that Romero had told him of his desire to leave the club upon the Italian's arrival in April.

"At the beginning of my time, in April, I had, I don't know, one million individual meetings," he told reporters. "And [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!'"

Spurs are in pre-season friendly action against German side Hoffenheim on Saturday and are yet to officially announce Romero's departure on social media.

That hasn't stopped the club captain from doing it himself, with the centre-back writing an emotional message to Spurs supporters.

"Today I say goodbye...' - Romero confirms Spurs departure

"Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club," Romero wrote on Instagram. "It was my home, my challenge, and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives.

"I leave with a heart full of memories and enormous pride for everything we lived and achieved together.

"When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club's history. I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again. And we did it.

"The journey wasn't perfect, but I don't want that to define my goodbye. I choose to remember the happy moments, the lessons, the people who stood by me and, above all, the love I received during these five years.

"Thank you to everyone at the club who shared this journey with me. Coaches, teammates, staff and every person working behind the scenes you are all part of my story and have a place in my heart.

"And to the fans: Thank you for loving me, respecting me and making me feel like one of you from day one. Thank you for every hug, every song, every flag, every applause and for always being there.

" know I wasn't perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything. I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

"I'm leaving the club, but a part of my heart will always remain here. Once I was one of you. Today I leave as one of you forever. With all my love and respect. Thank you for everything. And goodbye Spurs."

Xavi Simons and Micky van de Ven were the first two Spurs players to leave comments underneath Romero's post, with Simons writing: "Mi capitannnnnn."