Tottenham Hotspur are on the brink of securing a deal for Genoa defender Radu Dragusin, who will undergo a medical today. The 21-year-old Romania international has impressed in Serie A this season and will join Spurs for a fee of €25m (£21.5m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Dragusin joined Genoa from Juventus last summer and has made 19 league appearances for the newly-promoted side. He is a versatile centre-back who can also play as a right-back or a defensive midfielder. He has been capped four times by his country and scored his first international goal in November.
Spurs have been looking for a new centre-back to bolster their defence, which has been exposed by injuries and poor form. Ange Postecoglou’s side have conceded 28 goals in 20 Premier League games, the most among the top seven teams. They have also been forced to play full-backs Ben Davies and Emerson Royal as makeshift centre-backs in recent weeks.
Dragusin will hope to challenge for a starting spot alongside Micky van de Ven, who has returned from injury. He will also provide cover for Cristian Romero, who is sidelined with a hamstring problem. Spurs may also lose Eric Dier, who is a target for Bayern Munich.
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The deal for Dragusin will see Spurs send Djed Spence to Genoa on loan until the end of the season. The 21-year-old right-back joined Spurs from Middlesbrough in the summer but failed to impress during his loan spell at Leeds United. Spurs will pay his wages while he plays for Genoa.
Spurs have faced competition from Napoli and Bayern Munich for Dragusin’s signature, but the GG11 agency was instrumental in convincing the player to choose Spurs. Dragusin is expected to sign a contract until 2029 with the north London club.
Spurs will be hoping that Dragusin can help them improve their defensive record and climb up the Premier League table. They are currently seventh, 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, but have a game in hand. They will face Watford at home on Saturday.
