Newcastle United has expressed interest in acquiring Radu Dragusin from Genoa, as confirmed by the agent of the former Juventus defender. Following their reliance on Sven Botman and Fabian Schar as the primary defensive duo last season, Newcastle contemplated securing a long-term replacement for Schar in the summer transfer window. However, the only central defender they signed was 18-year-old Cathal Heffernan from AC Milan, who isn’t yet ready for first-team competition. Consequently, they are considering their defensive options before the new year. One player identified as a potential target is Dragusin, and his agent has provided insights on how to entice Genoa into a sale.
Regarding recent rumors connecting the Romanian international to Newcastle, Florin Manea stated during an interview with TV Play, “It’s not an offer from Newcastle; I’ve had discussions with both Newcastle and other teams. Genoa would only consider selling him for an offer exceeding €30 million.” In terms of British currency, this translates to Newcastle needing to invest more than £26 million to secure Dragusin’s services. Whether they intend to pursue this remains uncertain, but they seem to have a better chance than Milan or Inter, as Dragusin’s advisor does not find a return to Juventus appealing.
Dragusin ‘can only go to Premier League’
Manea expressed his reservations about the possibility of Dragusin returning to Juventus, stating, “I wouldn’t prefer that, though it’s uncertain. In life, you can never be sure, especially when Genoa is likely to demand a substantial transfer fee for him. He recognizes that there’s significant room for improvement, acknowledging that he’s currently operating at only 85% of his potential.”
Regarding Dragusin’s future, it appears likely that he may leave Italy, with interest from AC Milan and Inter also in the mix. However, it seems that only Premier League teams would be able to meet the financial demands for his transfer.
Dragusin joined Genoa in 2022 on an initial loan from Juventus and played a pivotal role in their promotion from Serie B to Serie A during his first season. At just 21 years old, he is under contract with Genoa until 2027. Despite having spent his entire senior club career in Italy, including a Champions League appearance with Juventus, he also boasts 11 international caps for his home country, Romania.
Leave a Reply