De Zerbi hands Van de Ven Tottenham captaincy after Romero departure

Tottenham have appointed Micky van de Ven as their main captain for the new season, with Roberto De Zerbi reshaping the club’s leadership structure following Cristian Romero’s departure to Atlético Madrid.

De Zerbi confirmed that Van de Ven will sit at the top of a five-man leadership group that also includes Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Archie Gray. The decision places the Netherlands international at the centre of Tottenham’s new dressing-room hierarchy as the club begins another significant transition.

The captaincy had become vacant after Romero completed his move to Atlético earlier this month. Rather than replacing him with another short-term senior figure, Tottenham have turned to Van de Ven, underlining how central the 25-year-old has become to the club’s plans.

His promotion reflects both his status within the squad and the importance De Zerbi places on his profile. Van de Ven’s pace, ability to defend large spaces and comfort progressing possession from the back make him particularly suited to the aggressive defensive structure Tottenham are expected to use under their new head coach.

The appointment also strengthens the message that Spurs see Van de Ven as a long-term cornerstone rather than simply one of their most valuable assets. Interest in the defender has surfaced during previous transfer windows, but handing him the armband represents a clear statement about his standing inside the club.

De Zerbi has nevertheless chosen not to concentrate leadership responsibility on one player alone. Porro, Davies, Maddison and Gray will form the wider captaincy group, giving Tottenham a mix of experience and emerging influence across different areas of the squad.

There will be an unusual start to Van de Ven’s tenure as captain, however. He is set to miss Tottenham’s Premier League opener against Brentford through injury, while Porro is also unavailable following his late return from international duty.

That means Tottenham will begin the season without the first two names in their new leadership structure on the pitch, placing immediate responsibility on the remaining senior figures.

The broader significance of the decision goes beyond who wears the armband on opening weekend. After Romero’s exit and a summer of structural change, De Zerbi is redefining the internal hierarchy of the squad. By placing Van de Ven at its head, Tottenham have made clear which player they want to represent the next phase of the project.