‘Fact He Was Here’ – Tottenham Star Explains Exit Choice, Admits ‘Huge Impact’ Factor | OneFootball

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Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has revealed that Fiorentina sporting director Fabio Paratici had a ‘huge impact’ on his move to Italy.

Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 after Spurs beat off competition from Napoli and Bayern Munich for his signature and he arrived in north London as a highly rated prospect.

The Romania international later suffered a serious knee injury and, despite returning to fitness this season, struggled to convince multiple Tottenham managers to make him a regular in the side.

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The Romanian struggled for regular game time last season, making just ten Premier League appearances and playing only 515 minutes for Spurs.

In search of more consistent first-team football, Dragusin has returned to Italy to join Fiorentina on a season-long loan.

The deal is an initial loan with an obligation to buy for €17.5m if the 24-year-old makes 22 appearances as Fiorentina look for him to prove his fitness and stand out again in Serie A.

Dragusin has now revealed that talks over his move only began this summer after former Spurs sporting director Paratici, with whom he enjoys a good relationship, contacted him.

The Romanian admitted that the Fiorentina sporting director’s presence had a ‘huge impact’ on convincing him to join the Serie A club.

The 24-year-old pointed to Fiorentina’s growth project as another reason behind the move; La Viola surged clear of relegation trouble in the second half of last term when Paratici oversaw a transfer spree.

Speaking in a press conference (via Tutto Mercato Web), he said: “This summer’s negotiations started with a call from Paratici, whom I know very well, and vice versa.

“The fact that he was here had a huge impact.

“I chose Fiorentina because they have a growth plan.”

Dragusin also thanked Tottenham for helping him develop both on and off the pitch.

The Romanian defender added that his spell in N17 exposed him to a different footballing environment from Italy and credited Spurs for helping him win the Europa League.

“I want to thank Tottenham, which helped me grow as a man and a footballer.

“There, I saw a different world from the Italian one, and they helped me win the Europa League.”

Fiorentina will hope Dragusin can help them improve following a disappointing recent campaign, with one Italian journalist believing that the Tottenham defender could prove to be a transformative signing for the Serie A club.

Meanwhile, Cristian Romero and Djed Spence are also tipped to leave N17 this summer as both of them are on Inter Milan’s radar, although they are considered to be ‘last minute deals’ due to Spurs’ financial demands.

Tottenham have already made multiple signings to bolster their defence ahead of next season, including Andrew Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi.