“‘I wasn’t perfect, but I defended this shirt with pride’: Romero leaves Spurs for Atletico in €40m deal

“‘I wasn’t perfect, but I defended this shirt with pride’: Romero leaves Spurs for Atletico in €40m deal Cristian Romero has said he always gave everything despite an imperfect time at Tottenham Hotspur, in a farewell message to the club. Romero has signed a five-year contract atAtletico Madrid after moving to the Spanish side for a fee of €40m, with Spurs retaining 15% sell-on clause. The 28-year-old spent five seasons at Spurs, but was keen to leave this summer after the club missed out on European football. Romero's best moment for Spurs came when he helped the North Londoners toEuropa League success in 2025, beating Manchester United in the final to secure the club's first major trophy in 17 years. The Argentine's time at Spurs was punctuated by disciplinary issues, while last season saw the club captain criticise the club's owners on multiple occasions. Posting onInstagram, Romero said he 'wasn't perfect', but insisted he 'defended the shirt with pride'. "I know I wasn't perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything. I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart," he wrote. "When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club's history. "I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again. And we did it. "I'm leaving the club, but a part of my heart will always remain here. Once I was one of you. Today, I leave as one of you forever.