Fiorentina sporting director Fabio Paratici is reviving his interest in Radu Dragusin this summer, with the Italian targeting a reunion with the Tottenham centre-back he knows better than most having worked alongside him in north London.
Italian journalist Niccolo Ceccarini, relayed via Fiorentina News, confirmed that the story is very much alive heading into the summer window. Dragusin was a target for Fiorentina in January, but the Romanian rejected their approach at the time, preferring to stay at Spurs and fight for his place rather than drop into a Serie A survival battle. In the end, nothing materialised with Roma or Milan either, and Dragusin remained in London.
“In January, Dragusin was a fairly high-profile target, but he wasn’t very happy about leaving Tottenham and wanted to take his chances at a slightly more ambitious club. In the end, between Roma and Milan, nothing new happened, and the boy remained in London. The story could reopen this summer: Paratici knows Dragusin very well, and he’s keen to return to Italy. For Fiorentina, with a significant offer, he’s an opportunity.”
Why Radu Dragusin’s Tottenham exit looks increasingly likely
Dragusin has never truly nailed down a regular role at Spurs since joining from Genoa in January 2024 for around €30m. The 24-year-old was beginning to find some rhythm in the side last season before a serious ACL injury in January 2025 wiped out the remainder of his campaign. He returned to fitness in late December but has found Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso all ahead of him in the pecking order.
With Roberto De Zerbi now installed as head coach and a major squad rebuild expected at Hotspur Way this summer, Dragusin’s position at the club is precarious at best. Paratici has been working on Fiorentina’s summer plans since joining as sporting director, and the Dragusin pursuit is part of a broader effort to strengthen their defensive options after a turbulent season that saw the Florentine club climb from the bottom of Serie A to 16th under Paolo Vanoli.
What would a Radu Dragusin transfer cost Fiorentina?
Embed from Getty ImagesTottenham are expected to look for around €25m if they are to sanction a permanent sale. Fiorentina will almost certainly push for a lower fee given the circumstances, and with Dragusin having only a limited role to play in De Zerbi’s plans, Spurs may find themselves in a weaker negotiating position than they would like. Dragusin himself is valued at around €20m by some reports, and a figure in that region could get a deal done.
The complication is Tottenham’s own defensive situation. If both Romero and Van de Ven depart this summer, as has been speculated, losing Dragusin on top of that would strip the backline of significant depth at a club that has been defined by its injury problems over recent years. For De Zerbi, keeping a player of Dragusin’s quality as a reliable backup option while bringing in new starters may well be the smarter play. But if the Romanian himself is keen to go, and Fiorentina come in with a reasonable offer, it will be difficult to keep him.
