Tottenham handed Cristian Romero boost by Argentina ahead of North London Derby vs Arsenal

Thomas Frank given Cristian Romero injury boost at perfect time ahead of Tottenham's clash with Arsenal after the international break

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is set for extra rest ahead of the North London Derby as Argentina recently postponed next week's friendly against India.

The World Cup winners are currently training in Spain ahead of Friday's friendly against Angola in Africa.

The initial plan was for Lionel Scaloni's side, who finished top of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualification standings, to square off against two nations from other corners of the globe this month ahead of next summer's finals.

However, their friendly against India in Kerala, pencilled in for November 17, was postponed in late October meaning Romero and his Argentina team-mates will only play once before the return of club football.

It's a boost for Spurs in particular, who have only just welcomed Romero back to full fitness following several weeks on the sidelines with an adductor injury.

He played 30 minutes from the bench in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea before returning to the starting XI for matches against Copenhagen and Manchester United.

The friendly match against India is expected to be rescheduled for March 2026. It's a long-haul journey to Asia too and instead, the 27-year-old will return early to Hotspur Way to begin preparations for Arsenal.

Argentina were reluctant to hastily arrange another fixture as there was recognition their stars are already playing a huge amount of football.

Additionally, there are no guarantees Romero will even play 90 minutes against Angola. That's because Scaloni is expected to shuffle his pack and experiment whilst trying new combinations on the field.

Spurs have been hit with a number of notable injuries already this season and keeping Romero fit will be crucial if they're to achieve their goals this season.

Striker Randal Kolo Muani suffered a fractured jaw in the dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester United. The Frenchman doesn't require surgery, however, so there is hope he won't be sidelined for as long as initially feared.

Defender Radu Dragusin is also closing in on a return and when he's back fit, it should ease the load on both Romero and Micky van de Ven.

football.london understands the 23-year-old is set to do some training with the Romania national team during the break and he could also feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly for Tottenham next week.

His recovery will not be rushed though because Dragusin has put a lot of work into his rehabilitation following ACL surgery in February.

Kota Takai, who is yet to play a competitive game for the club, is also close to returning to fitness and he will also be capable of providing defensive cover for Romero, Van de Ven and Kevin Danso.