Antonio Conte has revealed during his Tuesday press conference (via football.london) that defender Cristian Romero is ‘very close’ to returning from his hamstring injury, having taken part in light training sessions behind the scenes.
The Lowdown: An unfortunate start for Romero
Romero will not have been pleased with the way in which his Tottenham career started. Following his arrival from Atalanta last summer in a deal worth £42 million, the Argentina international made just seven Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites before sustaining a severe hamstring injury, missing the last 14 matches.
Before the injury, the 23-year-old played an integral part in Spurs’ backline, where he led the team in blocks and interceptions averaged per game in the Premier League.
Other fringe players have had to step-up and perform in the defender's absence, with Conte recently highlighting Davinson Sánchez, who he claimed is ‘improving a lot’ as a result.
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The Latest: Romero nearing return; training behind the scenes
During Conte’s pre-Chelsea press conference (as relayed by football.london), the Italian boss announced that Romero is 'very close to coming back and being available’ to returning from injury.
The 52-year-old further stated that the Argentinian took part in a light training session at Hotspur Way.
The Verdict: Huge news for Spurs
Despite the much-improved performances of the various fringe players who were called upon to step up in Spurs' defensive crisis, Conte will be glad to have an elite player in Romero back, especially after the calamities at Stamford Bridge last week.
The 23-year-old received huge praise over the summer when Argentina won the Copa America, as Brazil legend Cafu singled Romero out for his performances, saying that he ‘had a very good game in the final’.
This came after being crowned the Serie A's Best Defender in 2020/21, as Romero guided Atalanta to a third-place finish and Champions League qualification. With Conte labelling the youngster as ‘an important player’ for his side, the boost of his return will come as a delight for Tottenham supporters.