Tottenham Hotspur have expressed an interest in signing Genoa centre-back Radu Dragusin, as Ange Postecoglou looks to reinforce his defence during this winter transfer window.
Spurs have found their groove again after a tough run of results not helped by injuries to key players and suspensions, winning five of their last six matches in all competitions. They are presently fifth, just six points behind league leaders Liverpool, after 20 matches but Ange Postecoglou is not ready to rest on his laurels and wants chairman Daniel Levy to improve the squad this month. The Australian tactician wants to add more depth to his squad, especially in central defence and upfront.
The upfront part is already been dealt with, RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is set to arrive on loan with an option for a permanent move in the summer. Now, reinforcements at centre-back are understood to be at the top of Postecoglou’s list due to recent injuries to Cristian Romero and Ben Davies. Micky van de Ven has recently returned from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for nearly two months, but Eric Dier is linked with an exit.
After scouring the market for some time, Tottenham have now settled on Genoa’s Radu Dragusin. They are reportedly in daily communication with Dragusin’s camp to get a deal done as early as possible, although the north Londoners’ pursuit have been complicated by Napoli’s interest in the defender. Nonetheless, Spurs remain in pole position for the Romanian international, who is valued at around £25million by the Serie A side.
Radu Dragusin would boost Tottenham’s defensive options
Radu Dragusin, 21, has enjoyed an impressive season with Genoa after the club triggered his £4.7million release clause during his successful loan spell from Juventus. The towering centre-back has caught the attention of many European clubs with his physicality, tough-tackling and no-nonsense defending. He has been a mainstay in Genoa’s backline and has started all of their games across all formats, operating in a flat back four and in a three-man setup.
The Romanian has proven his potency from set-pieces in Serie A by scoring the winner against Hellas Verona and the equaliser in Genoa’s 1-1 draw against Inter Milan in December. Dragusin has all the required attributes to play in Postecoglou’s high defensive line, whilst adding some much-needed depth to Spurs’ ranks.
Tottenham are expected to pay around £ 25 million to get Dragusin’s deal wrapped up, and considering his age and potential, it will probably be a smart investment. The potential arrival of the 21-year-old Romanian defender could pave the end for Eric Dier’s 10-year stay in north London, with the England international heavily linked with a switch to Bayern Munich in recent weeks.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
