Tottenham Hotspur were flying high under new manager Ange Postecoglou at the start of the season. Spurs were leading the pile and were looking like a team to beat. Harry Kane’s departure raised a lot of questions on Spurs’ future but they managed to stay at the top of their game. However, injuries followed and some first-team players were declared injured for long spells. Postecoglou’s men have struggled since then and this has widened the gap in the league table.
The recent injury to Cristian Romero is a headache for the manager. He already lost his other top defender Micky van de Veen due to a hamstring injury. The Dutchman is one of the fastest defenders in the world and helped his side a lot while playing a high defensive line. Tottenham Hotspur are searching for players who could fit into Postecoglou’s gameplay and 21-year-old Romanian defender Radu Dragusin has emerged as their biggest target. A look at his stats shows what could the former Juventus defender add to the defence of the North London club.
Top-rated youngster
Radu Dragusin has been at the top of his game this season. He has managed to win more than 50% of his duels and has shown a lot of discipline. In the current season, Dragusin has won 70.7% of his defensive duels, 63.4% of his aerial duels and 50% of his loose ball duels. The player intercepts 4.01 times per 90 minutes. His defensive territory shows that the player can cover a lot of areas in the defensive third to win challenges for his side. Dragusin can also put his body on the line and has made nine blocks.
This plot measures the quality and quantity of a defender’s defensive actions. A player in the top right quadrant consistently engages in many defensive actions and performs them effectively. Radu Dragusin is rated among the best in the business in Italy.
This visual a defender’s ability to disrupt opposition plays and then recover the ball. Top performers in both aspects would be in the top right quadrant, showing proficiency in breaking up plays and regaining possession. Here Dragusin is probably one of the best. This is a quality that Postecloglou demands from his defenders as they play a high-attacking line.
Ball movement and attacking threat
Radu Dragusin attempts 29.4 passes per 90 minutes and has an 85% accuracy rate. He can deliver long diagonal balls to change the direction of play.
Another area where Dragusin offers more from his side is in attacking while set-pieces. The youngster has scored a goal with 13 shot attempts.
Radu Dragusin could fit well in Ange Postecoglou’s defence. Spurs will look to sign the player before other big clubs come to acquire him.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
