Spurs’ personal Declan Rice ought to be De Zerbi’s subsequent captain

Coincidence or not, Tottenham Hotspur have discovered their groove once more underneath Roberto De Zerbi, all whereas captain Cristian Romero has been compelled to look at on from the sidelines.

Absent since colliding with Antonin Kinsky towards Sunderland, an act that bizarrely did not warrant punishment for Brian Brobbey, the World Cup winner hasn’t precisely been missed, with the Lilywhites selecting up seven factors from their final three Premier League outings.

A monster at his greatest, as he notably confirmed in final season’s Europa League closing win, Romero has frustratingly teetered towards legal responsibility territory in 2025/26, so usually an undesirable speaking level resulting from his antics each on and off the sphere.

With a summer season departure doubtlessly on the playing cards, amid curiosity from Atletico Madrid, there’s a sense that the 27-year-old might nicely have performed his final recreation in north London, sparking the necessity for a long-term substitute as skipper.

The candidates to exchange Romero as captain at Spurs

Main the cost at current in Romero’s absence is his centre-back colleague, Micky van de Ven, with the Dutchman taking up the armband for the final three video games, an indication of his rising standing at N17.

That being mentioned, the previous Wolfsburg man has endured his personal woes this season, not least amid his pink card dismissal towards Crystal Palace, with discuss of a transfer to rivals Liverpool having not gone away.

If an exit is to be on the playing cards, then De Zerbi might nicely want an alternate for subsequent season, with this a comparatively younger squad with few true standout candidates.

The returning Rodrigo Bentancur might be greatest served prioritising his personal health, earlier than taking up the duty, whereas the identical may be true of the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Lengthy-term absentee, Ben Davies, is at present out of contract this summer season, and whereas De Zerbi has talked up Archie Grey‘s possibilities of being a ‘future captain‘ of the membership, the younger Englishman is not at present even within the Italian’s beginning lineup.

Grey, nonetheless solely 20, might develop into the function later down the road, though a extra short-term choice would possibly lie elsewhere within the Spurs ranks.

Spurs’ reply to Declan Rice might be the subsequent captain

Talking after the win over Atletico Madrid underneath Igor Tudor, The Athletic’s Duncan Alexander notably prompt that Grey appeared like a “younger Declan Rice“, following his all-action efficiency on the night time.

A shining gentle for a lot of the season, the ex-Leeds United man has pale from view in current weeks, nonetheless, with a brand new midfield power rising within the type of Joao Palhinha.

There would possibly nicely have been doubts over the Portuguese’s suitability to De Zerbi’s progressive method, but these have been put to mattress in current weeks, following the 30-year-old’s nearly talismanic performances.

It was Palhinha’s close-range effort which secured an important first win in 2026 towards Wolverhampton Wanderers, whereas he adopted up that with a very dominant exhibiting at Villa Park, subsequently hailed as a “chief” by journalist Henry Winter.

As soon as tipped to be the aforementioned Rice’s successor at West Ham United, the on-loan Bayern Munich man actually matches that mould as a towering, midfield powerhouse, a pillar in entrance of the again 4.

In opposition to Aston Villa, as an illustration, he gained 4 of his six floor duels, misplaced the ball simply seven occasions and boasted a 90% go accuracy price, offering a way of calm in a chaotic season at N17.

It’s his ball-winning high quality that really units him aside, nonetheless, having averaged 3.3 tackles per recreation within the Premier League – probably the most of any participant within the division.

He is additionally scored as many league targets as that man Rice has at Arsenal (4), whereas the pair are each nearly one thing of a wall in entrance of the again 4, so troublesome to get round, having been dribbled previous simply 0.7 and 0.4 occasions per recreation on common this season.

As Mauricio Pochettino had with Mousa Dembele, and like Mikel Arteta has with Rice, each nice top-flight facet has that towering, bodily specimen in midfield, with Palhinha wanting like he might be De Zerbi’s personal centrepiece shifting ahead.

The ex-Marseille boss has already talked up the opportunity of signing the one-time Sporting CP star completely this summer season, with a £21.5m purchase choice mooted, having spoken of the necessity to have gamers who’re so “dependable” within the squad.

As Winter acknowledged, Palhinha is wanting like a ‘chief’ proper now, and if he’s to remain put past this season, the captain’s armband might nicely be his for the taking.