Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Genoa defender Radu Dragusin but face competition from Italian champions Napoli.
Napoli are looking to reinforce their squad after failing 17 points behind league leaders Inter Milan and want to incorporate a new centre-back into the mix. They are willing to make a player-plus-cash offer for Genoa’s Radu Dragusin which could take the price beyond the £20 million to £25m mark in which Spurs were hoping to reach an agreement.
According to ESPN, Tottenham remain in talks to sign Radu Dragusin from Genoa after the centre-back indicated his inclination to move to north London, but Napoli’s entry has complicated the current situation.
The report adds Spurs plan to allow Eric Dier, who is in the final year of his contract, to leave once a suitable replacement—preferably Dragusin—has been signed, with the English defender on the radar of German champions Bayern Munich.
Radu Dragusin to Tottenham—Should Ange Postecoglou make a move?
It is no secret that Tottenham are in the market for defensive reinforcements during the January transfer window, as Ange Postecoglou looks to sign at least one centre-back to bolster his side’s top-four chances.
Micky van de Ven suffered a hamstring injury during the 4-1 loss to Chelsea in early November, leaving Ange Postecoglou short of options in central defence. While the Dutchman has recovered from his injury and was on the bench in Spurs’ 1-0 win over Burnley in the FA Cup third round on Friday, Cristian Romero has been unavailable at times in recent months either due to injury or suspension.
This has forced Postecoglou to use the likes of Ben Davies and Emerson Royal as makeshift centre-backs. It is understood that Postecoglou is pushing for the signature of Genoa’s Radu Dragusin given Romero’s fresh injury and Dier attracting interest from Bayern Munich.
Things might not have worked out for Dragusin at Juventus but he has managed to make a name for himself since joining Genoa in the summer of 2022. It was an initial loan move, which was made permanent last summer, and the Romanian centre-half has caught the eye with his physicality and no-nonsense defending. The 21-year-old has operated as part of a back three and back four under Alberto Gilardino this term, making three-goal contributions in 18 Serie A games.
Dragusin’s best attribute is his ability in the air which makes him an asset from set-pieces, while his physicality and adept tackling would seem to suit him well to the demands of Premier League football. If the Romanian can improve his decision-making, technical skills and positional awareness under the watchful eyes of Postecoglou, he could prove to be a very wise long-term investment for Spurs.
All in all, Spurs must do everything possible to beat Napoli to Dragusin’s signature this month.
