Tottenham defender Cristian Romero ruled out until New Year as Antonio Conte confirms 'very serious' hamstring injury
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Updated 01/12/2021 at 15:08 GMT
Romero suffered the injury while away with Argentina in November. He had started the first two matches of Conte's tenure in a three-man defensive unit but will now miss the busy, crucial festive period of fixtures. Spurs are sevebth but have a game in hand on the sides ahead of them having seen their trip to Burnley fall victim to Storm Arwen.
Cristian Romero of Argentina reacts after being injured during a match between Argentina and Brazil as part of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers at San Juan del Bicentenario Stadium on November 16, 2021 in San Juan, Argentina.
Image credit: Getty Images
Tottenham have been dealt an injury blow with confirmation that defender Cristian Romero will be absent until the New Year with a hamstring injury.
Romero has been absent since suffering the injury while away with Argentina in November, and manager Antonio Conte confirmed that it is a "very serious" issue.
The centre-half had started the first two matches of Conte's tenure at Spurs but will now miss the entire festive period as Tottenham look to get their Premier League campaign back on track.
“The news is not positive. Not good," Conte said of Romero's fitness ahead of Tottenham's meeting with Brentford.
“The injury is serious. I think it’ll take time to see him again. Surely next year, we need to check his injury week by week but the injury is serious.
“Now he’s trying to recover but he needs a long time. Time to recover. It’s a pity because you know he’s an important player for us. The injury is very serious.
“Next year – January, February, I don’t know but for sure in 2021 he has finished playing. For this month. We have to wait and recover well but the injury is serious.”
Signed for nearly £50 million from Atalanta in the summer, Romero had been expected to form a crucial part of Conte's favoured three-man central defensive unit.
In his absence, Davinson Sanchez endured a tough night in Spurs' surprise Europa Conference League defeat to NS Mura last week.
The Colombian was nonetheless selected for the postponed fixture at Burnley, which fell victim to heavy snow brought by Storm Arwen.
The postponement means Tottenham have slipped behind Wolves and now sit seventh in the Premier League, though they do have a game in hand on the sides ahead of them.
Defeat to Brentford, however, would see Thomas Frank's team move ahead of Spurs.
Conte is expected to be in the market for reinforcements come the January transfer window but insists he was given no promises about immediate investment when succeeding Nuno Espirito Santo at the club.
"Honestly when I decided to become Tottenham manager I didn't speak about this aspect," Conte explained.
"When you take a job, you have to make your evaluations and you have to feel your sensations. And honestly I felt Tottenham was the right club to work and to bring my ideas and philosophy of football. For this reason, I accepted the job.
"I didn't talk about January or the way to improve the team. I repeat: I'm here because I have great enthusiasm. If I'm here it's because I want to build something important with the club."
"I know at the moment we're a bit far from the top clubs but we need to work to improve the situation."
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