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For the second time in two seasons, tottenham hotspur Find yourself in a precarious situation Premier Leaguewhich forces them to look back.
Ange Postecoglou may have won the Europa League in 2024/25, but he finished just 17th in England’s top flight before he was ordered out.
Thomas Frank This time, he was tasked with leading the Lilywhites back to division headquarters, but it looked as if the Danes would suffer the same fate.
With just 13 games left in the season, his side sit 15th in the league, just six points above the relegation zone, with many teams currently in lower form than them.
The prospect of an unimaginable relegation battle may therefore be real, but the manager will be without one of his senior members for many games to come.
Why Romero needs to be stripped of Spurs captaincy
Frank’s first priority was to appoint a new club captain following Son Heung-min’s departure in the summer – before handing the responsibility over to the centre-back Christian Romero.
Speaking after the decision, the head coach said he believed “he has all the right qualities” while also setting the right example with his “conduct on the pitch”.
However, such claims are clearly outdated considering the 27-year-old’s on-field antics this season, which resulted in the defender being ejected from the pitch twice.
His first dismissal came in December’s home defeat to Liverpool, with the Argentine giving his marching orders after appearing to knock down Ibrahima Konate.
Romero’s second red card came against Manchester United last weekend when his high challenge on Casemiro left his team-mates with a mountain to climb at Old Trafford.
He subsequently was sent off six times in four-and-a-half years in north London and his reckless nature undoubtedly cost the first team at crucial moments.
The perfect candidate to become Tottenham’s new captain
As mentioned before, many players have been given the privilege of shouldering the responsibility of leading Tottenham’s forward line, and South Korean striker Son Heung-min has filled that role successfully.
He led the team to the European Championship last season and subsequently became the first player in 17 years to win the trophy with the club – certainly cementing his place in the club’s history.
Other players such as Harry Kane have also had the honor of wearing the captain’s armband, and the club’s record goalscorer often leads by example – exactly what Frank wants in a leader.
However, there is no denying that Romero did not live up to expectations and struggled to shoulder the responsibility that this situation brought to the pitch.
His latest sacking should undoubtedly be the final straw for the Argentinian, with Frank needing to hand the responsibility to his centre-back partner, Mickey van de Ven.
The Dutchman has been an excellent option for the Lilywhites in recent years, joining the club from German side Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023 for £40 million.
The 24-year-old made 82 appearances for the club during this period and is arguably one of the club’s most important players. Reportedly worth up to £100m Offered by the club in January.
Frank appointed him as part of the leadership following his appointment, with the defender able to deputize and wear the captain’s armband in Romero’s absence.
Van de Ven, known as “world class” Presented by presenter Adam Smithy, who has been the shining light in the Lilywhites’ backline this season – and his statistics show his exceptional form.
He has completed 89% of his pass attempts so far this season while creating 0.2 chances per 90 – underscoring his impressive ability on the ball.
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Mickey van der Veen – 2025/26 season statistics |
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|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90 people) |
consistent |
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Games played |
twenty three |
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Number of goals scored |
4 |
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Pass accuracy |
89% |
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Create opportunities |
0.2 |
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Tackle wins |
1.2 |
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aerials win |
1.3 |
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Successful dribbling |
60% |
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recovery status |
3.5 |
The Dutchman is equally impressive when losing possession, winning 3.3 aerial duels per 90 games and winning 1.3 of the aerial duels he has been involved in per game this season.
He also made 1.2 tackles and 3.5 receptions per 90 games, with his incredible pace regularly helping him and his teammates escape numerous dangerous situations in the defensive third.
Van de Veen has also proven his ability in the attacking area with four goals in 23 league games, which also highlights his leadership ability to step up when needed.
As mentioned before, the Spurs captain’s responsibility is to be able to produce results and push the club in the right direction – something Romero has failed to do.
Van de Veen undoubtedly possesses both talents and Frank urgently needs to make a decision to take the captain’s armband away from the Argentinian.
