Thursday, October 2, 2025 - Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin will not be linking up with the Romania national team during the upcoming international break after Spurs made it clear they do not want him to travel.
The 23-year-old has been sidelined since January after
tearing his ACL during a Europa League clash with Elfsborg. He has yet to
return to competitive action, though he is edging closer to full fitness. Spurs
manager Thomas Frank recently said Dragusin was “progressing well,” explaining:
“He’s been on the grass for three weeks now. He is on track. It will be some
weeks before he is able to be involved.”
Despite his lengthy absence, Romania boss Mircea Lucescu had
included Dragusin on the preliminary list of overseas players for their October
fixtures against Moldova and Austria. However, after discussions with both
player and club, Lucescu admitted he will not be calling him up. “I spoke with
him. He was very happy for the national team comeback but I don’t think I will
call him. Tottenham wasn’t so happy to let him come now at the national team.
He needs one more month to play again. Radu wants to come, but others warned us
it is better to let him train with Tottenham now,” the Romania coach told
Fanatik.
Dragusin became the most expensive Romanian footballer ever
when he joined Spurs from Genoa in January 2024 in a deal worth £21.5 million,
with a further £4.3 million in add-ons. He made nine Premier League appearances
that season and featured regularly last term, with 28 appearances in all
competitions before his injury.
In his absence, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have
established themselves as Tottenham’s first-choice centre-back pairing.
However, Dragusin is expected to compete for a place once fully fit, with hopes
he could return before the end of October.
Meanwhile, Spurs are managing other injury concerns. Frank
confirmed Romero will miss the Champions League trip to Bodo/Glimt in Norway as
a precaution, while striker Dominic Solanke is set for minor ankle surgery and
will be sidelined until after the international break. He added that Randal
Kolo Muani is recovering well from a dead leg.
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