While Tottenham might have ended their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware last season as they were crowned Europa League champions, Spurs find themselves at the heart of a public domestic crisis.
Breaking a string of unwanted records this season and parting ways with Thomas Frank last month, Spurs are at the heart of an infamous Premier League relegation scrap and they have a major battle on their hands in the race to keep hold of their top-flight status.
With it even suggested that new boss Igor Tudor could already be fighting for his job despite arriving less than a month ago, it is no surprise that Tottenham are expecting a seismic summer behind the scenes.
With The Athletic reporting this week that the majority of Spurs’ current first-team squad will be hit with a 50% wage cut should Tottenham lose their Premier League status, their two defensive superstars are already eyeing their respective north London escape plans.
Cristian Romero
Shown a straight red card against Manchester United in the opening half hour against during Spurs’ 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford on February 7th, Cristian Romero is currently serving a four-match suspension.
Only making 18 Premier League appearances for Tottenham last season and gaining a reputation for his glaring disciplinary issues, the 27-year-old has come under plenty of scrutiny from fans around the white half of north London.
Unleashing a seething attack on the Tottenham hierarchy last month, Romero has made his frustrations abundantly clear and Spurs’ skipper has faced major questions over his future in the English capital.
Despite only putting pen to paper on a new long-term deal with the Lilywhites back in August 2025, it has been suggested that Tottenham are actively looking to cash in on the Argentinian World Cup-winner this summer.
Despite becoming a real figure of frustration for many in north London, Romero is widely regarded as one of Tottenham’s most valuable assets and Spurs have reportedly value the former Atalanta defender in the region of £70-80million.
Alongside previous links to reigning European champions PSG, it was reported last month that Real Madrid have already made initial enquires and are keeping a close eye on Romero’s situation.
🚨#Tottenham 🇦🇷 Cristian Romero – transfer battle!
📌 Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona & PSG all keen on the Argentine defender.
⚡️ Madrid made initial enquiries, Pérez determined to invest big.
📋 Tottenham ready to sell this summer, asking £70–80M. pic.twitter.com/Lka0afXoed
— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) February 11, 2026
Micky van de Ven
While the Tottenham hierarchy might have made it clear during that January transfer window that Micky van de Ven would not be allowed to leave north London, it appears that the Dutch international is focused on completing a permanent move away when the transfer window reopens.
Although the 24-year-old might have had to deal with his own respective injury issues since arriving from Wolfsburg back in the summer of 2023, he is still widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s hottest defensive stars.
Although Spurs might reportedly be keen on beginning discussions over a potential contract extension, Sky Sports suggested van de Ven has no interest in extending his stay with the Premier League relegation scrappers.
Much like his central defensive partner, van de Ven is also reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar. With the Spanish icons looking to complete another defensive overhaul this summer, the 17-cap International has already given the green light over a potential move to Madrid.
Despite Spurs’ record-breaking rut this season, van de Ven and his team know that they are not short of heavyweight interest and The Sun reported on Wednesday that Barcelona are also a keen admirer.
Micky van de Ven is said to be a ‘long way off’ signing a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur and it is understood that concrete talks over a new deal have not taken place ⚪️🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/GVkMtDZktV
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 26, 2026