Roma defender Fazio baffled by Tottenham exit: 'The president wanted to change, I don't know why'

Roma defender Federico Fazio admits he was puzzled by Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy's decision to let him after his first season in north London and thinks English football is still lacking when it comes to "tactical work".

Fazio, recently lauded as one of the best defenders in the world alongside the likes of Sergio Ramos and Diego Godin by Argentina legend Gabriel Batistuta, joined Spurs from La Liga outfit Sevilla for £8m in the summer of 2014 and initially impressed under his compatriot Mauricio Pochettino, featuring 33 times as the Lilywhites finished fifth.

Fazio soon fell out-of-favour in his second season at White Hart Lane and was eventually loaned back to Sevilla at the start of 2016 before spending the whole of the 2016/17 campaign at Roma, who saw fit to snap him up for a paltry €3.2m in the summer transfer window.

The seven-time Argentina international has rejuvenated his career in the Italian capital and has featured 23 times for Eusebio di Francesco's side as they battle for Champions League qualification. But he recently expressed his bafflement at Tottenham chief Levy's decision to send him away from north London after one season, though his performances did steadily decline towards the latter stages of that campaign.

"Tottenham? I played 33 games in my first season with them," he told Il Corriere dello Sport, relayed by Football 365.

"After that the president wanted to change I don't know why. I spent six more months there but I had already decided to leave.

"England is different, there is not much tactical work and when you go out nobody knows you. Passion for football is different, Italians are more similar to Argentinians."

Despite Fazio's impressive performances for Roma, who are preparing for a crunch Serie A clash against a resurgent Roma this Sunday (21 January), his presence has not been missed by Tottenham, who have consistently boasted one of the meanest defences under the tutelage of Pochettino.

The former Southampton boss is currently able to utilise the talents of Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier in the heart of his defence, and he will soon be able to welcome back esteemed Belgium international Toby Alderweireld, who is closing in on a return from a severe hamstring problem.