Spurs post ruthless statement confirming Cristian Romero has left the club

Tottenham Hotspur didn't have a lot to say when confirming the departure of club captain Cristian Romero.

It comes as no surprise, but after a summer of tension between Spurs and Romero about his role at the club and his future there, his departure has been confirmed.

Romero joined Tottenham from Atalanta in 2021, with the Premier League side paying £42.5million for his signature, and went on to become a vital part of the team, making 156 appearances across five seasons.

Following Heung-min Son’s departure in August 2025, the Argentina international was officially named Tottenham Hotspur captain, recognising his importance to the team.

But just one year later, as his move to join Atletico Madrid has been confirmed, Spurs have made it clear how they really feel about Romero now.

"We have reached agreement with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Cristian Romero," the official Tottenham Hotspur account wrote on X.

"Wishing you all the best, Cuti."

Romero's final match for Tottenham was the Premier League clash with Sunderland in April, when he suffered a knee injury that saw him leave the pitch in tears and ruled him out of the final six Premier League fixtures.

Reacting to the statement, one fan wrote: "Wow. Only two sentences for the departure of our club captain. It feels like Spurs are very relieved he’s finally out the door."

Another added: "Long worded goodbye for our European winning captain"

While one disappointed fan admitted: "The last thing I expected was Romero leaving in this cold and trivial way because he ended everything in the ugliest way possible."

Atletico Madrid have paid £34.2m for the 28-year-old centre-back, who has penned a five-year deal with the La Liga club.

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Cristian Romero releases controversial statement confirming Spurs departure

"Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club. It was my home, my challenge and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives," Romero posted on X, confirming the news more than 12 hours before Spurs released their statement.

"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."

Addressing the circumstances surrounding his exit, he added: ""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."

Before later admitting: "I 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."

Earlier in the summer, Spurs signed former Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who is expected to take Romero's spot in the lineup.