October 10, 2021
Venezia FC is pleased to announce the signing of Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero, 34, on a free transfer. Romero is Argentina’s all-time most-capped goalkeeper and last played for Manchester United.
Romero came through the youth academy of Racing Club, and he would make his Primera División debut for the club in February 2007, just shy of his 20th birthday. The following month, he would sign with Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar.
Romero spent four seasons at AZ, highlighted by winning the Eredivisie in 2008/09. During the title run, Romero kept a 950-minute clean sheet from November 2008 to February 2009. In total, Romero would make 90 Eredivisie appearances with 40 clean sheets plus six UEFA Champions League appearances and five UEFA Europa League appearances while playing for AZ.
In August 2011, Romero joined Sampdoria. The Blucerchiati had just been relegated to Serie B the previous season, but they earned immediate promotion back to the top flight with Romero in goal. In his first Serie A season, Romero would make 32 appearances with 10 clean sheets, helping guide Sampdoria to safety with a 12th-place finish in the league. Romero would spend the following season on loan at AS Monaco, before returning to Sampdoria and making another 10 Serie A appearances for the club in 2014/15.
Romero’s next move was to Manchester United, reuniting with his former AZ manager Louis van Gaal in July 2015. The Argentine stopper would spend the next six seasons at Old Trafford through 2020/21, typically backing up David de Gea and playing as first choice in cup competitions.
Romero made his Premier League debut in August 2015, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Tottenham. In this first season with the club, Romero would go on to make four Premier League appearances, one FA Cup appearance, and two Europa League appearances.
In 2016/17, under José Mourinho, Romero played a starring role in Europe, as Manchester United won the Europa League. Romero made 12 appearances during the campaign, including a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Ajax in the final.
In 2019/20, under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Romero kept seven clean sheets in nine appearances in United’s run to the semi-finals of the Europa League, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Sevilla.
Across all competitions, Romero would make 61 total appearances with 39 clean sheets in his time with Manchester United.
At international level, Romero has earned 96 caps for Argentina between his debut in September 2009 and his most recent appearance in October 2018. He was a member of the Albiceleste teams that finished runners-up at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 Copa América, and the 2016 Copa América Centenario.
Welcome, Sergio.