The January transfer window could not come soon enough for Tottenham.
Injuries and suspensions for first choice centre-back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven forced Ange Postecoglou to play his second choice full-backs Ben Davies and Emerson Royal at the heart of his defence.
With the window open, Spurs identified Radu Dragusin to bolster their rearguard. They have now completed a deal for the centre-back.
But just who is Dragusin, and is he a good pick?
Radu Dragusin is signed and sealed 🖊️ pic.twitter.com/HZU4BsO1gY
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 11, 2024
He left his native Romania for Italy at the age of only 16, came through the Juventus academy and had loan spells at Sampdoria and Salernitana.
It was a breakout year in 2023, as the centre-back played a key role in Genoa's promotion from the second tier. He has continued his great form in the Serie A this season - and emerged as a starter for his country by helping them book a Euro 2024 spot.
In terms of attributes, the 21-year-old shows great composure and ability in possession. He is also exceptional in duels and has the pace to play in a high defensive line, making him a great fit for Ange-ball.
Radu Dragusin Transfer Value - how much is he worth?
According to our Player Valuation Model, Dragusin has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €13.1 million.
His seamless transition from Serie B, saw his market value more than double from just €5.1 million at the start of the season.
There was plenty of interest in the former Juventus man from within Serie A, and Genoa were valuing their prized asset at a significant premium of €30 million.
The way he is developing, that price might soon look like a bargain.
What Dragusin would bring to Tottenham
Tottenham have no European football this season and are already out of the Carabao Cup.
This makes signing a high quality back-up centre back very tricky - there just are not enough games to go around when everyone is fit.
But Dragusin is still very young, and importantly he has qualities that Tottenham are missing. His 3.17 aerial duels won per 90 at a win rate of almost 70% is an upgrade on both Romero and Van de Ven.
Dragusin is also very aggressive going into challenges and rarely loses a 1v1 battle. He tackles an incredible 87.5% of dribblers, placing him amongst the top defenders not just in Serie A, but from the top five European leagues.
Tottenham have the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League, and this aggression in duels has cost them dearly this season. But unlike someone like Romero, the Romanian international can control his instincts and commits fewer fouls and has fewer bookings than most peers.
Even before the injuries, Tottenham conceded more goals on a per game basis than the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.
While Dradusin is a modern-day centre back, he has retained all of the defensive competency that will make the Lilywhites a lot harder to break down.
In terms of quality on the ball, Dragusin’s mobility makes him a good ball carrier, but his passing numbers do not look impressive when compared to other Tottenham centre-backs.
That might be down to him playing in a Genoa team which has the second lowest possession rate in their league, and which often launches the ball long to win second balls high up the pitch.
Postecoglou’s coaching has transformed Pedro Porro into an inverted wing-back with great proficiency on the ball, and there is little doubt he can help Dragusin fit into his possession-based system.
This is what makes the Bucharest-born defender an ideal purchase - someone who can fill in as required this season, but who has the potential to push for a starting place next season.
Tottenham’s revamped recruitment team continues to impress in terms of its talent identification.
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