Following that defeat to Brighton dropped Spurs to 5th (at the time of writing Spurs yet to face Bournemouth), the only bit of news that can somewhat raise the morale of fans is the fact that they could possibly see a defender arrive to solve issues that has somewhat dragged back Spurs from what was a dream start for their campaign topping the table before the free fall that ensued in results.
If you count the fact that Fabio Paratici still works on a ‘Consultant’ basis for the Spurs, it’s easy enough to guess why Dragusin has all the makings of being a good signing for the club. It’s not about the fact that Dragusin’s days at Juve coincided with Paratici’s tenure, but the fact that be it Kulusveski or Bentancur or now Dragusin, they are players that Paratici knows on a technical level inside out. So Let’s find out what Dragusin can add to this Spurs Team:
Video Scouting Radu Dragusin: How the Romanian’s style of defending suits what Ange wants
Vid 1: Radu Dragusin as an LCB for Genoa this season
As you watch through Vid 1, you’d be surprised to know that despite being a naturally right footed CB, Radu plays incredibly so well in as an LCB, either in a 4 or 3 back. So that in itself ticks the Box for Spurs, a player who has ample top flight experience playing at LCB. But that’s not all, what’s more important is Dragusin is a proactive defender, someone who wants to anticipate duels and hold his ground than be a more reactive 1v1 duel drawer like what Spurs have with Romero (there’s no better or worse in terms of what i described but the fact that Dragusin’s different in terms of his playstyle).
Standing over 1.9m tall, Dragusin like described makes use of his long legs to intercept well, useful when playing at high lines and can double up well at wide areas to support Fullbacks being high, either in a typical Genoa style 3-5-2 or even in a 4 back system. Being quite ambidextrous helps make his case strong to backup either of VDV or Romero, both of who have had missed games either with injuries or suspensions.
These traits, whether it makes him tailor made or not, makes him as close to being a desirable CB option for Ange to choose for as Spurs aim to make back lost momentum to climb the table back.
What Does Data say About Dragusin: A Traditional Defender with shades of Modern Traits??
Pic 1: Radu Dragusin’s season so far summarized
In a 3-back system with Genoa, Radu Dragusin has been deployed both as a Central CB and a left-sided CB. Playing for a team like Genoa often requires him to defend in deeper blocks, emphasizing the need for effective box defending. Despite these circumstances, when analyzing Pic 1, it’s evident that Radu Dragusin frequently makes forward passes after recovering the ball—a valuable metric for assessing a player’s ability to successfully distribute after winning possession. Remarkably, Dragusin maintains an impressive 80% retention rate in this aspect, indicating his proficiency in maintaining ball possession and showcasing his reliable ball-handling skills.
Vid 2: Dragusin’s Ball play and Goal threat
But what is also more important is Dragusin loves taking a shot at goal, this season he’s been a phenomenal aerial threat for Genoa, managing 17 shots with a npxG (Non Penalty expected goals) of 0.06, a reasonable return for a CB, scoring 2 goals. For Set Pieces as we saw in Vid 1, Dragusin makes himself a phenomenal asset. He does more often than not love getting into box and getting rid of markers to get his head on the ball. The Vid 2 perhaps shows that so well, and in cases he can even double up as a Fullback with all that pace he has to offer.
Radu Dragusin to Tottenham: Conclusions
Pic 2: Levy and Ange in conversation
After pairing Emerson and Davies in the event of injuries and suspensions as CB’s, perhaps the man to be relieved the most should this transfer go on is Ange. As I have always believed, Ange’s done the most to bring Spurs in contention for the top places. Yes, Spurs did lose momentum in the last few months, but he’s still the man for this job and backing the coach is highly important in a season where the 2nd half of season is going to be even more grueling.
Radu Dragusin can be a very good option to plug the hole temporarily and raise the heat on Romero and Van de ven to keep themselves in contention. At 21, he has all the age to grow and make a solid impact. In any sense, for the rumored price involved, it’s as close to being a no brainer.
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