Radu Dragusin signs for Spurs

The Romanian central defender joins Tottenham from Italian side Genoa on a permanent deal.

Former Chelsea forward Timo Werner joined Tottenham on loan with an option to buy from RB Leipzig on Tuesday to become the Lilywhites’ first signing of the 2024 January Transfer Window.

Then, on Thursday evening, Radu Dragusin’s heavily rumoured transfer to Spurs was confirmed with the Romanian central defender joining from Italian Serie A side Genoa. The transfer fee, according to Italian Journalist Fabrizio Romano, is an initial €25 million (£21.4 million) with an additional €5 million (£4.2 million) in add-ons. As part of the deal, right back Djed Spence has joined Genoa on loan for the remainder of the season.

Following the confirmation of the 21-year-old’s move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening, Dragusin had this to say (via Tottenham’s official website): “I can say that I decided to join Spurs since I heard the interest of this club. I thought about it, I put every aspect in play, and I think this is the best step for my career.

“I also know the club has an incredible fanbase, they have incredible staff and players, so I was looking forward to joining. I can say that the decision was inside of my heart, already done. It’s incredible. I didn’t imagine all of this and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and starting on the pitch.

“I’m ready for the challenge. I’ve always liked this league, the physicality of it, the intensity of this league and I think it’s a really good league to grow and extend my career. I’m really happy to be here, I’m really excited and I can’t wait to step foot on the pitch.”

As part of this transfer, Radu Dragusin will be reuniting with Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, who he played with during his time at Juventus.

We will now rewind to the start of the Romanian’s career, which saw him begin his youth career with Sportul Studentesc, whom he joined in 2009 at the age of 7. After joining Regal Sport Bucuresti in 2013, he left the club five years later to join Italian giants Juventus in 2018 for a fee of €260,000.

Over the course of the 2018/19 season, Dragusin played for the Old Lady’s under-17 side in the top flight of Italian Under-17 football, which is called the Under 17 – A. He made 20 appearances in all, scoring 2 goals and getting an assist. His efforts helped his teammates to achieve a 1st place finish with 51 points after 24 games.

Following that season, there was a knockout tournament to decide the ultimate winner – Juventus lost 4 – 0 to Atalanta in the Quarter Finals.

In the 2019/20 season, Radu Dragusin was handed his senior debut for Juventus in a 3 – 0 UEFA Champions League win against Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv before making his league (Serie A) debut just over a week later in a 3 – 1 away win against Genoa.

Fast forward to the 2021/22 campaign, the defender joined fellow Serie A side Sampdoria on loan. In his half season spell with the I Blucerchiati (The Blue Circled), he made 15 appearances in all competitions before moving to Salernitana on loan in January 2022 for the remainder of the campaign.

Then, on the 14th July 2022, Radu Dragusin was sent out on loan to then Serie B side Genoa from Juventus with an option to buy. After impressing for La Grifone, the Romanian defender signed permanently for the club for a reported initial fee of approximately €5.5 million (£4.7 million).

Over the course of the 2022/23 season, the central defender made 40 appearances in all competitions, with 38 coming in the league, where he also got 4 goals to boot. Dragusin was part of a Genoa side that finished 2nd in Serie B after accumulating no less than 73 points from their 38 matches to earn them promotion and a return to Serie A.

Before joining Spurs, Radu Dragusin had made 19 Serie A appearances this season (2023/24), with 2 goals and an assist to his name. He leaves Genoa in 12th place with 21 points. La Grifone are currently 7 points clear of the relegation zone.

It remains to be seen when Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou will give Radu Dragusin his debut for Tottenham.

Spurs face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, 14th January (16:30 kick-off) before hosting Thomas Frank’s Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a 19:30 kick-off on Wednesday, 31st January 2024.

Then, after a trip to Goodison Park to face Sean Dyche’s Everton, Postecoglou’s Spurs will then face successive home matches against Brighton (10th February, 15:00 kick-off) and Wolves (17th February, 15:00 kick-off).

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