Micky van de Ven posted farewell messages to both Cristian Romero and Djed Spence following their recent exits -Credit:James Gill - Danehouse, Getty Images Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has posted heartfelt farewell messages to departing teammates Cristian Romero and Djed Spence. Romero's transfer to Spanish La Liga club Atlético Madrid was confirmed on Saturday — just days after he had been linked with a potentially contentious move to North London rivals Arsenal. Spurs' former captain has departed for a reported £34 million ($46 million), with the 28-year-old penning a five-year deal with Diego Simeone's squad. Romero's switch to the Spanish capital was swiftly followed by Spence's move to Italian Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan. The full-back completed a £25.6 million ($34.7 million) transfer to the San Siro after delivering impressive displays for England at this summer's FIFA World Cup in North America, as per football.london.
Kylian Mbappe drops World Cup truth bomb after absurd third-place loss to England Cristiano Ronaldo's mom misses 'intimate' wedding as marriage certificate details ceremony Van de Ven's message to Romero -Credit:Van de Ven's Instagram Subsequently, Van de Ven took to his Instagram stories to extend his best wishes to both departing players. To Romero, he wrote: "Hermano, thank you for everything, brother, what a player you are! ! All the best!" To Spence, the 25-year-old added: "What a guy and top player, go kill it over there, brother!" Romero had made his desire to leave abundantly clear this summer, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi acknowledging the situation in comments made to football.london. The Argentine had been at Spurs since arriving on an initial loan from Atalanta in 2021, going on to make 156 appearances for Tottenham, registering 13 goals and seven assists during his time at the club. To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE Sharing a farewell video with supporters on Friday, he said: "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, team-mates, 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. Van de Ven also posted a message to Spence -Credit:Van de Ven's Instagram "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 @spursofficial." Spence, meanwhile, arrived at Spurs in the summer of 2022 from Middlesbrough in a transfer valued at approximately £20 million ($27 million), including add-ons. The English defender shared a video on social media reflecting on his time in North London, expressing his gratitude to both the supporters and the club. The video carries the caption 'memories of a lifetime' and showcases a montage of his finest moments across four years at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, concluding with a 'thank you' displayed across the screen.