Antonio Conte is one of Tottenham’s most successful managers in recent history.
The Italian head coach joined Spurs in November 2021 and managed to secure Champions League football at the expense of Arsenal on the final day of the 2021-22 season.
However, Conte’s fiery personality at Tottenham would prove to be his downfall.
After a 3-3 draw with Southampton on 18 March 2023, Conte launched an astonishing rant against Daniel Levy and Tottenham’s ambitions, before being sacked eight days later.
He is now thriving at Napoli, and is targeting defender Radu Dragusin as a potential option for his squad, as negotiations with Roma have taken a blow.
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Napoli join Roma in the race to sign Radu Dragusin
Dragusin sustained an ACL injury in January 2025 and only just returned to first-team training in December.
Dragusin could be set for a move to Roma, although Italian journalist Mirko Di Natale has reported on X that Napoli have enquired about Dragusin.
Roma are still the favourites to sign him, but negotiations have come to a halt and a move to Conte’s side could prove to be more appealing.
Roma want to include an option to buy the 23-year-old, although Spurs are not willing to sanction a permanent exit for Dragusin just yet.
There is currently no agreement on the structure of the deal with Roma, and Napoli are waiting in the background to try and strike up a deal for the Romanian defender.
Having joined Tottenham from Genoa at the start of 2024, Dragusin is now fourth in the pecking order behind Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Kevin Danso.
Dragusin suffered a severe injury, and it’s perhaps best for him to get regular game time after such a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
How does Dragusin fit Antoni Conte’s plans?
Reuniting with Conte will do him the world of good, and it could give him the platform to excel.
Napoli are currently 3rd in the Serie A table, and the Italian champions are desperate to retain their crown as they sit four points off league leaders Inter.
Conte plays with three central defenders, a system Dragusin is familiar with from his time at Genoa.
Having conceded just 17 goals in 19 games this season, the Italian manager has turned his team into a well-oiled machine.
Dragusin will likely come straight into the side in place of right-sided defender Sam Beukema and become a mainstay for the second half of the season.