Forget Romero: Frank must make Spurs’ “world-class” star his new captain
Tottenham Hotspur are a club who have endured a huge transition over the last couple of months, especially after Thomas Frank took the reins during the off-season.
The 52-year-old has wanted to put his own stamp on the first-team squad in North London, but it appears to have been a slow process over recent months.
The Dane has only been able to lead the Lilywhites to 13th place in the Premier League, subsequently only winning one of their last seven league games – losing five of them.
Despite only arriving during the off-season, he’s already seen huge questions being asked about his long-term future, with the lack of form no doubt contributing to the noise around his position.
One of his decisions could prove to come under huge scrutiny, especially given the recent struggles one player has endured despite the faith shown in him by the manager.
Why Romero should be removed as Spurs captain
After taking the reins in the summer, Frank named a leadership group within the Spurs team to help lead the club up the Premier League table in the 2025/26 campaign.
Five players were named in such a group, but centre-back Cristian Romero was named as the leading option – as seen in many games this season where he’s worn the armband.
The Argentine has started 13 out of a possible 17 league games this season, including the 2-1 defeat against Liverpool on home soil back on Saturday evening.
However, it was yet another night to forget for the 27-year-old, as he was sent off for a fourth time in his Lilywhites career after kicking out on Ibrahima Konate in stoppage time.
Such a situation is an example of the head loss Romero is capable of having, as seen by his red card tally, something which you simply can’t accept from a captain.
He’s already racked up seven yellow cards this campaign in the Premier League, which further showcases his lack of discipline despite the responsibility he possesses.
It’s just the latest example of why he can’t be trusted in the role, with Frank desperately needing to take such responsibility away from him in the coming weeks.
The Spurs player who should replace Romero as captain
After Romero was appointed as club captain, Frank named four other players to help lead the club in the right direction during his tenure in charge of the Spurs.
Ben Davies was just one player who was named in such a group, no doubt due to his experience in North London, having been on the books now for 11 years.
James Maddison was another, but the Dane has so far been unable to call upon the England international after he suffered an ACL injury in a pre-season friendly.
Guglielmo Vicario also could prove to be a viable option, but like Romero, he’s often been unreliable this campaign, with his mistakes costing the side in key moments – as seen at Nottingham Forest last weekend.
As a result, Micky van de Ven should be handed the chance to lead the side, with the Dutch international arguably being the shining light within the backline this campaign.
The 24-year-old has been a fantastic option for the Lilywhites since his transfer in the summer of 2023, often being the man to get the side out of trouble with his incredible pace.
He’s often led by example at the back, with many of his performances letting his ability in and out of possession do the talking – something which is the opposite of Romero.
Van de Ven, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one presenter, has completed 91% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst completing 50% of the dribbles he’s attempted – offering Frank’s side an excellent option when playing out from the back.
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However, without the ball, he’s often been dominant, as seen by his incredible tallies of 3.1 duels and 1.2 tackles won per 90 in the Premier League this campaign.
Micky van de Ven – stats in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
16
Goals scored
3
Pass accuracy
91%
Chances created
0.3
Tackles won
1.2
Aerials won
1.2
Dribble success
50%
Recoveries made
3.6
Stats via FotMob
As previously mentioned, such stats could have been improved further, but his incredible positioning and pace had often got himself and the team out of tricky positions.
Whilst his main responsibility is defending, the centre-back has also thrived within the final third, as seen by his incredible tally of three goals in the league during 2025/26.
Such a tally places him as the Lilywhites’ second top goalscorer at present, with the Dutchman certainly a phenomenal all-round talent for Frank’s side.
At just 24, he has bags of time to become even better in the years ahead, potentially leading Frank’s side to success in the years ahead during his tenure.
As a result, he deserves the chance to captain the club, with the manager needing to make a bold call given the struggles and failures of Romero in recent months.
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