Jamie O’Hara makes a big claim about Micky Van de Ven at Tottenham this season, even comparing him to one of his Lilywhite teammates.
Cristian Romero’s form has left a lot to be desired
Romero had his best season in a Tottenham shirt in 2023-24, not only being extremely solid and consistent but also managing to eliminate the moments of rashness from his game.
However, the Argentine has not lived up to the same standard at the start of this campaign, being guilty of several errors which have been punished by the opposition.
Ange Postecoglou will be desperate for his vice-captain to get back to his best, given how important the former Juventus man is to the side, both in terms of defensive solidity and from a leadership perspective.
Jamie O’Hara not impressed by Romero
O’Hara has now not held back in his criticism of Romero, insisting that the 26-year-old has been a liability for Tottenham this season.
The pundit claimed that his centre-back partner, Micky van de Ven, is ten times the player that the Argentina international is.
Here is a transcript of the conversation between O’Hara and former Aston Villa striker Dean Saunders on talkSPORT:
Saunders: “Do you think Van de Ven makes more mistakes than Romero?”
Jamie O’Hara: “No, Romero makes a mistake every game.”
Saunders: “He’s rash, isn’t he?”
O’Hara: “Romero is a World Cup winner. You’d say he’s not world-class?”
Saunders: “He’s not world-class, no. I’d get him sent off in ten minutes.”
O’Hara: “He’s been a liability for Tottenham this season. Van de Ven has been ten times better than him this season. He’s a better player.”
Will this be Romero’s last season at Spurs?
Romero has just over 18 months left on his contract with Tottenham and the speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid continues to intensify.
In fact, it was reported by GiveMeSport two weeks ago that the Spurs star is reluctant to hold talks with the club regarding a new deal as he wants to wait and see if Los Blancos make an approach for him next summer.
Some Spurs fans will feel that if Romero continues to deliver the kind of performances that he has so far this season, he might not be a huge loss.
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Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes that Daniel Levy struck an “incredible” transfer deal in the summer.
Tottenham’s unique transfer agreement
The deal Spurs struck with Real Betis back in the summer was groundbreaking, with the Lilywhites agreeing an option to buy Johnny Cardoso next summer as a part of Giovani Lo Celso’s return to his former club.
According to reports, Tottenham have the option of signing the USA international for £25m next summer, and they will get a sell-on clause for the player if they decide against activating the clause (Football.London).
However, Spurs still face the prospect of losing Cardoso to other clubs, with the likes of Aston Villa, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid thought to be eyeing a January move for the midfielder (Estadio Deportivo).
Paul Robinson praises Spurs for smart deal
Robinson is impressed by the kind of deal that Spurs struck in the summer, suggesting that it is a ‘win-win’ situation for the North London side.
The former England man insisted that the USA international would be a tempting option for Ange Postecoglou‘s side, given the kind of performances he has been delivering in Spain.
When asked about Spurs’ agreement for Cardoso, Robinson told Football Insider: “They’re in a win-win situation at Tottenham. You either get a top player in great form, who’s almost doubled his value over the last six months, or they get a share when he’s sold for a fortune.
It’s very much a Daniel Levy deal. It’s incredible. They get first dibs on a player, and if he doesn’t sign for them, they get a percentage of his sale. He’s still only 23, got 17 caps for the USA and he’s got room to get better.
“He’s been playing very well for Betis this season and he’s clearly a good player. The Premier League is very different to La Liga with the pace of the game, but he’s definitely an option for them.”
Why a midfielder is not a priority for Spurs
However, Robinson does not think that signing a number six should be a priority for Tottenham. The former Spurs number one questioned where Cardoso would fit in at N17, given the other options that Postecoglou has in the middle of the park.
He added: “There’s an abundance of talent in that Tottenham midfield, but he’s playing well and he’s put in a couple of man-of-the-match performances.
“It’s an interesting one to keep an eye on, but does he start for Spurs? He’d be a good player for the squad but I’m not sure where he fits in. But the deal is one I don’t think we’ve ever seen before.”
