Did Levy Cross the Line? Why Selling Romero and Vicario Could Cost Spurs Dearly

It has hardly been a quiet summer in North London. Roberto De Zerbi has brought in new players, massive sums have been spent, and Tottenham are trying to put another 17th-place finish behind them. Changes were to be expected; the sheer scale of them is what comes as more of a surprise.

Cristian Romero is now playing for Atlético Madrid, and Guglielmo Vicario has been loaned out to Juventus. Two familiar names have thus vanished from a defense that already suffered plenty of problems last season.

Romero Leaves a Bigger Void Than It First Appears

There was rarely a long stretch between discussions about Romero. One week his aggressiveness was praised; the next, the headlines were all about a card or a suspension. Four suspensions during his final season say a lot about the issue.

Even so, he stayed long enough to tally 156 appearances. He wore the captain’s armband in 2025/26 and had also been part of winning the Europa League the year before.

Micky van de Ven remains, while Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi have arrived. On paper, options certainly exist. But a new center-back has to understand how the team reacts after losing possession, when the fullback pushes forward, and who takes command when the opposition applies pressure.

Romero already knew all of that.

The Vicario Deal Is Easier to Defend

Guglielmo Vicario had managed 117 matches since arriving in 2023, but Antonín Kinský began staking his claim towards the end of last season. When Juventus offered Vicario a route back to Italy, a move was therefore not particularly hard to envision.

Kinský, however, is 23 years old and is now stepping into a very different reality. Competing for the spot is one thing; being expected to start every week is another—especially behind a backline currently undergoing a complete rebuild.

Martin Dúbravka gives De Zerbi another option, but Spurs have still chosen to revamp both their goalkeeper hierarchy and their defense at the exact same time.

De Zerbi Has Not Been Given a Soft Landing

If nothing else, Tottenham’s transfer window proves the club isn't trying to patch up last year's squad. Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Van Hecke are among the players brought in, with total investment surpassing £300 million.

The problem is that the Premier League doesn't offer a grace period to settle in.

That became clear as early as the match against Brentford. The season opener ended in a 0–3 defeat, and suddenly the old questions resurfaced. How easy is it to play right through Spurs? Who takes responsibility when the team loses control?

An August match obviously decides nothing. But for De Zerbi, it was hardly the start he would have wished for.

The Defense Will Be Worth Watching Extra Closely

Over the coming weeks, it will be interesting to look beyond just the number of goals conceded. The way opposition teams create those chances tells at least as big a story.

If Kinský is forced to make save after save, or if Van de Ven is constantly left exposed with huge spaces to cover, the root cause lies further up the pitch. If the new center-backs miscommunicate, however, the debate around Romero will quickly flare up again.

These same details are worth noting for anyone keeping an eye on BetMGM specials for Tottenham. Shots faced by Spurs, saves made by Kinský, and clean sheet frequency could tell you far more about this new defense early on than the league table ever will.

A Gamble Levy Has to Live With

You can make a valid argument for each decision individually. Romero wanted to move on, and Atlético paid around £34 million. Vicario had lost his undisputed starting role and got the chance to return to Serie A.

Yet, place the deals side by side, and the picture shifts.

In a single summer, Tottenham have removed their captain and a goalkeeper with well over a hundred appearances for the club. This comes at the exact moment a new manager is trying to implement his system and multiple new signings are trying to find their roles.

Perhaps the decision will look obvious in a few months. Kinský might take the next step, and the new center-backs could quickly click into place.

But if Tottenham keep gifting chances to the opposition, the question is bound to return: did Levy fix a weak defense? Or did he make it even harder to repair?