In a relatively quiet January transfer window, the majority of the ins and outs have been at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham’s recruitment team appears to have been the busiest in the entire Premier League this winter, with the likes of Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier, and Ivan Perisic all moving onto pastures new.
Regarding incomings, Radu Dragusin currently stands as the most expensive signing of the window with a price tag of £26.7 million while former Chelsea forward Timo Werner has been loaned in with an option to buy.
Fans of the English top flight will be familiar with Werner following his stint at Stamford Bridge, but Dragusin will be an unknown entity to most.
So, as Ange Postecoglou hopes that his recruits will help make Spurs more favourable in the Premier League winner odds, here’s an insight into Dragusin and what he offers the North London outfit.
Club career
Elite clubs have been watching Dragusin since his youth, with the likes of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain showing interest when he was still in the youth ranks of Regal Sport Bucuresti in Romania.
However, Juventus won the race for his sought-after signature — bringing him to Turin in 2018.
Dragusin rose through the youth system at Juve, and loan spells at Sampdoria, Salernitana, and Genoa before moving to the latter permanently in 2023 having made just one senior appearance for ‘The Old Lady’.
The 21-year-old made 62 appearances for Genoa in all competitions and opted to sign for Tottenham despite interest from German giants Bayern Munich.
International career
Dragusin has represented Romania at under-17, under-19, and under-21 levels — including a call-up to the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, although he made just one substitute appearance at the competition.
Dragusin made his senior debut for Romania with a brief cameo in an international friendly against Greece in March 2022, and he appeared twice more against Slovenia and Moldova later that year.
Fast forward to the current day, and the 21-year-old has become a stalwart for Romania — starting all 10 of their Euro 2024 qualifiers as his nation topped their group unbeaten and conceded just six goals.
Style of play
Postecoglou was in desperate need of defensive reinforcements, and Spurs fans have every right to get excited about the acquisition of Dragusin.
Standing at 6ft3in, the 21-year-old is known for his physical presence on the pitch and he can use his strength and stature well in defensive duals.
Dragusin has good tackling ability and interception awareness, while he is adept at engaging in one-on-one situations — with good timing and technique to win the ball effectively.
Modern centre-backs are required to contribute to the build-up play from the back, and the 21-year-old has showcased his ability to play the ball forward with composure and accuracy.
Dragusin’s skillset and attributes have resulted in the Romanian being compared to Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, who is one of the best defenders in Premier League history.
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There’s plenty to like about Dragusin on paper, but only time will tell if he has what it takes to leave his mark on the Premier League.