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Argentina international Cristian Romero has brought the curtain down on his five-year spell in north London after his departure from Tottenham was confirmed.

The Argentine defender, who captained Spurs last season, is leaving in a deal reported to be worth £34.2million.

Romero was an important figure in Tottenham’s defence, but injuries kept him out for spells last term and those absences hurt Spurs as they battled to avoid what would have been a remarkable relegation from the top flight.

Earlier this summer, Romero reached the World Cup final with Argentina, though the defending champions were beaten 1-0 by Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

His last appearance for Spurs came away at Sunderland in Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge, a game Tottenham lost 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in April.

With Spurs having already secured Micky van de Ven on a new long-term contract and brought in Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi, Romero has now moved on to join Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone.

In a farewell message, the centre-back said goodbye to Tottenham.

“Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club.

“It was my home, my challenge and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives. I leave with a heart full of memories and enormous pride for everything we lived and achieved together.

“When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club’s history. I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again. And we did it.

“The journey wasn’t perfect, but I don’t want that to define my goodbye. I choose to remember the happy moments, the lessons, the people who stood by me and, above all, the love I received during these five years.

“Thank you to everyone at the club who shared this journey with me. Coaches, teammates, staff and every person working behind the scenes — you are all part of my story and have a place in my heart.

“And to the fans: Thank you for loving me, respecting me and making me feel like one of you from day one. Thank you for every hug, every song, every flag, every applause and for always being there. I know I wasn’t perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything.

“I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart. Thank you for everything. I’m leaving the club, but a part of my heart will always remain here. Once I was one of you. Today, I leave as one of you forever. With all my love and respect. Thank you for everything. And goodbye.”