Radu Dragusin says Tottenham made him a better footballer and a better person, but the man judging his loan in Florence is far from convinced, and Sunday’s meeting with Juventus could shape how his time at Fiorentina is remembered.
The Romanian centre-back left N17 early in the summer window on an initial loan, with an obligation to buy written into the deal. If it goes through, Spurs would bank €17.5m from his exit.
He has started every Serie A game so far this season, yet one well-known Florence journalist believes he has given only a fraction of what was expected. Now he faces the club where his senior career began.
What did Dragusin say about Tottenham?
Radu Dragusin spoke to Fiorentina’s official website for the match programme before the Juventus game, and he looked back over a career that has taken him from Turin to north London and on to Tuscany.
He joined Juventus at 16 and made his Serie A debut for them in 2020, before spells at Sampdoria, Salernitana and Genoa. Spurs then brought him to England, and that is the chapter he credits with the biggest change in him.
“I am proud of my journey, every experience has helped me grow,” Dragusin said. “I arrived at Juventus at 16 and had the chance to learn alongside players of the very highest level. At Sampdoria, Salernitana and Genoa I built up more experience, while at Tottenham I continued to grow both as a footballer and as a person.”
The serious knee injury he suffered in London clearly still shapes how he thinks. “The injury taught me to be patient and to appreciate every day spent on the pitch,” he said. “Now I am happy at Fiorentina. I want to keep improving, help my team and give our fans as much joy as possible. They fully deserve it.”
Why is a Florence journalist only giving him 30 out of 100?
Not everyone in Florence is buying it yet. Journalist Luca Calamai told FirenzeViola that Dragusin has fallen well short of what he hoped for.
“We’re going crazy with all these clashes between Fiorentina and Juventus. One concerns Dragusin, a player from whom I expected a hundred, but for now he’s given 30,” Calamai said.
He added that he has seen only one really good display from the defender, against Napoli a few weeks ago. “Until a couple of years ago he was considered a potential star, he went to Tottenham, then his knee broke and we know that type of injury affects a player for about a year,” he said. “Florence seemed like the ideal place for him, but instead I’ve only seen him perform well against Napoli.”
Calamai sees the Juventus game as a big moment. In his view, a strong display would convince Fabio Paratici he was right to bring Dragusin to Fiorentina, leave Juventus regretting the 2002-born player they let go, and show the Viola he can be the answer to their defensive problems. It is a familiar link: we covered Paratici’s push to reunite with the defender he signed for Spurs back in April.
Fiorentina vs Juventus: what is at stake for the Spurs loanee?
Fiorentina host Juventus at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday 8 November, with kick-off at 7.45pm UK time, in the last Serie A round before the international break.
The Viola go into it 16th on eight points, having already recalled Paolo Vanoli after another poor start. Their recent 4-2 win over Sassuolo was a lift, and Dragusin said as much. “We arrive in good shape. The win against Sassuolo gave us more confidence in the strength of our group,” he said, adding that the club know how much this fixture means to their supporters.
On the defensive side, he admitted there is work to do. “We train and talk about this almost every day,” Dragusin said. “We have to improve in how we manage certain moments of matches.”
He looks certain to play a big part. With Ranieri a doubt, Vanoli could be left with only two senior centre-backs, the versatile Brazilian Viery and Dragusin himself.
Why it matters for Tottenham
For Spurs, this is about more than an old boy’s form. That €17.5m is money De Zerbi’s side would welcome, and a centre-back playing every week in Serie A holds his value far better than one stuck on the bench.
Tottenham keep a close eye on the players they send out, as the recall of goalkeeper Luca Gunter from Boreham Wood showed this week. Dragusin’s case is different: this one is meant to be a clean break.
Verdict: Dragusin needs a big night against Juventus
Thirty out of 100 is harsh for a player who has started every league game and is rebuilding after an ACL injury. Regular football was exactly what Dragusin needed, and he is getting it.
But Calamai has a point. Fiorentina are down in 16th with defensive problems to fix, and the defender was not brought in to be a passenger. A commanding display against the club that let him go would do his reputation in Florence a lot of good, and it would quietly please Spurs too.
