Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin is expected to miss the rest of the 2024-25 season after injuring the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during last week’s Europa League game against Elfsborg.
The Romania centre-back will undergo an operation with a top knee surgeon in London soon and is likely to be out for an extended period of time. This means Dragusin is unlikely to feature again this season, with the expectation that he will be out for six months. The hope is that he will return over the summer, and be back early next season.
Dragusin has played a key role in Spurs’ season after injuries to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, holding the defence together alongside Archie Gray and Ben Davies.
He started 21 out of 22 games for Spurs in all competitions between 30 October last year and 26 January, and the one game he did no start, against Chelsea, he came on after 15 minutes. Dragusin injured his knee last Thursday, 20 minutes after coming on for Van de Ven against Elfsborg.
Ange Postecoglou admitted on Sunday evening, after Spurs’ 2-0 win at Brentford, that Dragusin’s injury was worrying. “It doesn’t look good,” Postecoglou said. “But I think he’s seeing specialists on Monday and we’ll have more information then.”
Dragusin, who turns 23 today (Monday, February 3), was signed from Genoa in Italy last January. Tottenham beat competition from Bayern Munich for his signature.
Postecoglou has dealt with a significant injury crisis this season, particularly at the back. Dragusin joins centre-back Romero and left-back Destiny Udogie on the sidelines, while Van de Ven and Davies have only just returned after missing several matches with injuries.
The injuries saw Dragusin become a regular starter alongside 18-year-old Gray, typically a midfielder, in the heart of defence.
Kevin Danso has joined Spurs on loan from Ligue 1 club Lens with an obligation to make the move permanent for €25million (£20.9m, $25.9m) in the summer, helping to reinforce the backline. The Athletic reported on Monday that they had also had a bid rejected for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert are all out with injury, though Postecoglou has said that all six are set to return shortly. Romero and Dominic Solanke are the only other longer-term absences.
Dragusin joined Tottenham in January 2024 from Serie A side Genoa. He mostly served as back-up to Romero and Van de Ven in his first season but has made 28 appearances in total this season, starting 25 times.
Spurs return to action against Liverpool in the second-leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday, where they lead 1-0 on aggregate.
Dragusin injury heightened need for late transfer activity
Analysis from The Athletic’s Tottenham correspondent Jay Harris
This is a huge blow for Tottenham and it explains their dramatic pivot in the final few days of the window to chasing after centre-backs.
Dragusin turned down an offer from Bayern Munich to join Spurs in January 2024 from Italian side Genoa for £25million. The Romania international has made 28 appearances in all competitions for them this season including starting 13 out of 14 top-flight fixtures since November until Sunday’s victory over Brentford.
Dragusin has been integral to Ange Postecoglou’s side while first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero struggle with injuries. He has forged an unlikely partnership with Gray and helped Spurs to record a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie.
Postecoglou said last week that Romero’s recovery from a quad injury is a “slow burner” while van de Ven managed 45 minutes against Elfsborg last week but missed Sunday’s trip to Brentford.
Spurs face the prospect of playing the biggest game of their season, Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, without their three main centre-backs which is why the signing of Kevin Danso was crucial and why they chased after Axel Disasi on deadline day. It is a huge shame for Dragusin who had finally been given an extended run in the team.
(Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
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