Cristian Romero injury nightmare but Tottenham close to signing Liverpool hero

Tottenham are expected to be without Cristian Romero for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in defeat to Sunderland on Sunday.

The trip to the Stadium of Light was Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge of Spurs and it did not bring about an improvement in their fortunes.

The 1-0 defeat left the north London club 18th in the table, two points adrift of safety with just six games to play.

It has been a nightmare season for Tottenham and one that has not been helped by a string of serious injuries, with Romero the latest fitness woe for the manager.

ESPN report that the Argentina defender has damaged a knee ligament and will likely be out for between five and eight weeks as a result.

The injury occurred in a collision with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, having been pushed in the back by Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey.

The Premier League season comes to an end on May 24, with Spurs hosting Everton, so Romero is very unlikely to be back in time for that.

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Instead he will hope to return in time for the World Cup, which starts in just under two months.

Romero joins the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma in the treatment room.

While the manager and the club as a whole are keenly focussed on avoiding their first ever relegation from the Premier League, there are talks ongoing over a major summer signing.

The BBC report that there are advanced talks between Spurs and Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, who is leaving Anfield this summer at the end of his contract.

Tottenham were linked with a move for the Scot in January but it did not materialise, however, a free transfer this summer is now on the cards.

The 32-year-old will only move to north London if Spurs are still in the Premier League, though.

Robertson has made 374 appearances for Liverpool since moving from Hull City in 2017, winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

‘This club means everything to me, the fans mean everything to me, the people connected to the club mean everything to me,’ said Robertson.

‘I think I owe it to them still to, until my very last day, I’ll give everything to this football club, which I’ve done over the last nine years and I’m very proud of that.

‘The time to have the emotional farewell and tell the fans and the people connected to this club what they mean to me, that will come closer to the end.

I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet.’