Next week is set to be a busy one at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the club step up their business in the transfer market. Completing their first signing of the summer on Saturday as Pierluigi Gollini joined on a season-long loan deal from Atalanta, the shot-stopper could well be joined in the capital by former teammate Cristian Romero.
Romero on talk of a Premier League move after the Copa America
Christian Romero said: “If a very important club of good level comes and I can continue to grow and improve and it is for my good and that of the national team, I will see it. The Premier is one of the best leagues in the world, but for me the national team is the main thing because very important things are coming.”
Romero on what he’s like on and off the pitch
Christian Romero said: “My friends who play football for great teams always tell me that this helps me, but I don’t really like talking too much off the pitch. I don’t like talking about anything. I’m a bit introverted in this respect, but I think I’ve been doing well so far. Still a lot is missing, I need to continue like this. I know it’s difficult to maintain a high level [of performance], but I have to work and learn what the coach wants to always do well.”
Romero on what Leonardo Bonucci said about him being quiet
Christian Romero said: “He’s right, I’m someone who doesn’t speak much, even now. There was nothing to clarify. These are things that are born and die at the moment. Indeed, he congratulated me for qualifying for the Champions League with Atalanta.”
Romero on his main goal after joining Atalanta (which he has now achieved)
Christian Romero said: “I’m a young guy with many dreams in my head. I want to reach the Argentina international team, which is my main goal. Then I want to showcase myself to earn a place as a starter for Atalanta.”
Romero on working under Gian Piero Gasperini
Christian Romero said: “He is a coach who can help you grow as a player and he can improve your style of play and many other aspects. With Gasperini, anyone must be able to do more things. A defender can’t just defend, he must contribute going forward. When defending, the attackers are also called upon to contribute. This is why I realised the coach was the right person for my career. After four of five months here, I can say that I definitely made the right decision.”
Romero on Gasperini helping him tactically
Christian Romero said: “Of course [I would be happy to stay]. I’m waiting for President Percassi to tell me: ‘Romero, you are ours’. In the past, other teams were also interested in me, but when I learned about Atalanta, I immediately said yes. During my time at Genoa, I had many teammates who had been coached by Gasperini and they talked very well of him. If you listen to him and train well, he follows you step by step and makes you improve. Before meeting him, I was a disaster tactically. Today, I feel more mature.”
Romero on what he has to improve on
Christian Romero said: “I have to improve regarding the amount of cards I’ve received, but I think I’ll get better at this team.”
Romero on his idol
Christian Romero said: “I have followed Sergio Ramos since I was little because I have always enjoyed watching Real Madrid. Especially when he played against Barcelona, because [Lionel] Messi was on the pitch. Sergio is undoubtedly one of my idols and for them, it will be an important absence.”
Romero on his need to play regularly
Christian Romero said: “In the summer, before moving to Turin, I spoke a lot with [Paulo] Dybala, who is Argentine like me. Then, in the three weeks that I remained in the retreat with Juventus, I bonded above all with him, Danilo, [Giorgio] Chiellini and [Rodrigo] Bentancur. But when I arrived in Bergamo, I immediately understood the environment was very different compared to Juve. There are many young people here, the dressing room is made up of simple guys who make you feel part of the group immediately. Last summer, Juventus changed coach and I realised it would be difficult to stay. I hoped to, but there were many centre-backs there. People with big names like Bonucci, Chiellini, [Matthijs] de Ligt. I called my agent, Ciro Palermo, and I more or less told him: ‘There’s no room for me here, let’s look for an option elsewhere. I’m leaving, I don’t want to sit still and lose a year’. I’m young, and I need to play to grow. Juve are Juve, but I don’t want to sit on the bench.”
Romero on the importance of having players to help you adapt
Christian Romero said: “When you have players who help you adapt in the best possible manner it is much easier. From day one, I have found a fantastic group of players who have helped me adapt well. I am grateful to the coaching team for the chance I was given because it’s something I’ve been seeking for a long time. Now I am calm, doing my best and I know what wearing this shirt means. We are taking things one game at a time, but we clearly have a fantastic team and where we go depends only on us.”
