Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has firmly declined to confirm whether captain Cristian Romero has been financially penalized for his recent social media comments, repeatedly stating the matter has been âdealt with internallyâ during his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
Romero sparked controversy with an Instagram post following Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City and the closure of the January transfer window.
The club captain described the fact that only 11 players were available for the match as “unbelievable but true and disgraceful,” comments widely interpreted as criticism of the clubâs hierarchy for a perceived lack of squad investment amid an injury crisis.
When questioned directly on Thursday, Frank was consistent in his refusal to disclose any disciplinary specifics. “I can confirm that we dealt with everything internally,” the manager stated, a phrase he returned to multiple times.
He elaborated on the club’s approach, noting, “I think there’s a lot of ways to deal with different situations. Weâve chosen to have a good conversation with him, understand where he stands, handle it internally”.
Frank attributed Romeroâs outburst to the defenderâs passionate character, explaining, âCuti is a very passionate character and player, who will want to leave everything on the pitch⌠Sometimes when you are like that, it can become an outburstâ.
This incident marks the second time in a month that Romero has publicly voiced frustration. Following a defeat to Bournemouth in early January, the Argentine posted a message suggesting âother peopleâ at the club should speak during difficult times but âonly show up when things are going wellâ.
On that occasion, Frank explicitly confirmed Romero had not been fined and retained the captaincy, adding, âYou can make a mistake, donât make the same mistake twiceâ.
The manager also defended the club’s transfer business during the window, which saw the arrivals of Conor Gallagher and young defender Souza. âI think where we are is okay. We tried to do more, but it was not possible for whatever reason,â Frank said, emphasizing the need for calm, long-term planning.
When asked if such public criticism from a captain could deter potential signings, Frank dismissed the concern, asserting the club’s leadership remains aligned. âI’m pretty sure that clever players and agents can look through if there’s a little bit of noise,â he said.
Romero is expected to retain his starting position and captainâs armband for Tottenhamâs upcoming Premier League match against Manchester United this weekend.