Roberto De Zerbi’s call to let Radu Dragusin leave Tottenham on loan this summer looks like a wise one after the defender’s disastrous night with Romania in the Nations League.
Dragusin’s future in North London was uncertain all through the transfer window, as Spurs overhauled their entire first-team squad to give their new head coach the strongest possible start. Big changes were needed after last season, when the club finished 17th and stayed clear of relegation to the Championship by only two points on the final day. Over £250million went on new signings, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Savio.
Some players had to go to make space, and Dragusin joined Fiorentina on loan for the campaign. The deal carries an obligation to buy the 24-year-old if certain performance-related conditions are met.
He has played in all five of La Viola’s Serie A games so far, totalling 450 minutes, but the move has not gone smoothly. Fiorentina have won one, drawn one and lost three, leaving them 17th and just two points above the relegation zone.
International duty offered no relief. Dragusin lasted only 22 minutes of Romania’s Nations League match against Poland on Friday before he was sent off for bringing down Robert Lewandowski as the last defender. Poland won 6-0, with Lewandowski scoring a hat-trick. Virgil Ghiță put through his own net, and Piotr Zieliński and Jan Bednarek got the other goals.
Spurs, meanwhile, have made a poor start to the season despite all their spending. De Zerbi’s side are still without a league win after five games and sit bottom of the Premier League. Their next test is Manchester United when the Premier League returns on Saturday, October 10.
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