‘Tottenham give green light to Cristian Romero exit amid Illia Zabarnyi latest’
Thomas Frank is set to continue shuffling his defensive pack as he looks to reshape the Tottenham squad he inherited from Ange Postecoglou.
Since Frank was handed the managerial reins by the North Londoners, Tottenham have signed Kota Takai and fellow centre-back Luka Vuskovic.
It is no surprise that the former Spurs boss is strengthening his backline after the North London side conceded 65 goals in the Premier League under Postecoglou last term.
But to continue bolstering his ranks at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Frank must also facilitate player exits this summer.
Tottenham decide on Cristian Romero exit amid Illia Zabarnyi enquiry
As Frank continues to rebuild his Spurs squad, Cristian Romero has been linked with Real Madrid, while Xabi Alonso has already had a busy transfer window with the additions of former Premier League duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen.
But Romero has been a major asset for Tottenham since the 2021/22 season, and his injury proved costly to an otherwise leaky backline last campaign.
Therefore, Frank’s men should not be willing to part company with the 27-year-old, unless they can land a move for a worthy replacement.
Meanwhile, talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook revealed via X on Friday, 18 July, that Tottenham have made an enquiry for Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi.
Alongside the aforementioned Huijsen, Zabarnyi formed a major part of the Cherries’ stingy defence in the Premier League last season.
If Spurs can land a move for the 22-year-old’s services, they will be willing to part company with Romero, whose continued links with a move away from North London are likely to have unsettled him somewhat.
Zabarnyi should thrive at Spurs
Even though Tottenham made a major change in direction when Daniel Levy chose to replace Postecoglou with Frank, the North Londoners remain committed to developing young talent.
| Illia Zabarnyi stats | Premier League 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 36 |
| Tackles won | 36 |
| Duels won | 142 |
| Pass accuracy % | 82.5 |
| Goals | 0 |
Recent defensive additions Takai and Vuskovic are aged just 20 and 18, respectively, while the young duo Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall were two of Spurs’ best players last season.
At the age of 22, Zabarnyi still boasts a similar level of potential to players like Takai, but unlike the Japan international, the Bournemouth man boasts vital Premier League experience, having spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Dorset outfit.
His potential, coupled with his Cherries performances, show that the Ukraine international should be an ideal asset for Spurs, if Andoni Iraola can be convinced to part company with the former Dynamo Kyiv man.
As per FotMob, Zabarnyi won 142 duels in the Premier League last season, epitomising his tenacious qualities.
Meanwhile, Morgan Gibbs-White has been tipped to join Frank’s side in a Tottenham News exclusive despite their ongoing dispute with Nottingham Forest.