27 December 2023 , 12:43
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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that centre back Cristian Romero is set to miss more than a month of action because of a hamstring injury.
The Argentina defender was taken off at half-time in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Everton and a scan has shown some damage to the muscle.
"It’s not so great with Romero, he had a scan the other day, he’s got a hamstring strain. So we’re looking at probably four weeks, five weeks for him," Postecoglou said. But Postecoglou, who brings his Spurs team to Brighton on Thursday night, insists Romero’s absence will not change the club’s transfer plans in January.
Spurs have been linked with a number of left-footed centre halves but the Australian said: “No, it doesn’t change anything. Disappointing to lose him, for sure. We obviously missed him with the suspension and now, we’d just got him back and kind of steadied things up and obviously we have him missing again for quite a chunk of time.
“But it doesn’t change really… you can’t accelerate time, mate. It’s still December. January 1 stays January 1 irrespective of our situation. The plans and the planning is still in the same shape.”
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Postecoglou added: “The perception on the outside originally was that a left-sided centre-back might come in, is the idea now that it could be right-sided one or someone who can play in both roles?
“I don't put as much stock into the left-sided or right-sided centre-back scenario, we just need another player in that position who can provide some more depth for us and the ability to change it up.
Cristian Romero will be out for a month. (Getty Images)“It won't matter if it is left-sided or right-sided, it is more the profile and characteristics. We didn't go looking for a left-sided centre-back at the start of the year, it just happened that Micky was the perfect centre-back.
“Even if we had another left-sided one, I still would have signed him. It is about looking at the right profile, the right characteristics and seeing what is available, then going from there.”
Micky van de Ven is nearing a return to action but after the summer signing said at the world’s darts championship last week that he was hopeful of an imminent return, Postecoglou has instead pinpointed mid-January as a realistic date.
"I wouldn't be taking players' views on their recovery process," the head coach said. "He's getting closer, we'll see him sometime in January. I don't think Burnley but Manchester United on the 14th I think potentially.
"But again, I don't look at comeback dates until I see them training with us and he's not part of the group. He's not due to be part of the group this week, we'll see how he's going by the end of the week.”