Fiorentina have pulled off a surprise move in defence, closing in on the return of Radu Dragusin to Serie A from Tottenham.
According to Fabrizio Romano, via CalcioMercato, a verbal agreement is in place for the Romania international to join on loan with an obligation to buy.
The Viola have agreed terms on the basis of a €1.5 million paid loan, with the obligatory purchase at the end of the season set at €17.5 million.
The move reunites Dragusin with Fiorentina sporting director Fabio Paratici, who first brought the centre-back to Tottenham from Genoa back in 2024.
Dragusin returns to Italy after Spurs spell
Dragusin’s story in Italian football stretches back to Juventus, where he progressed from the club’s youth ranks and Next Gen setup to the first team, making his debut as an 18-year-old in the Champions League against Dynamo Kyiv in December 2020.
He managed just 232 minutes in a Juventus shirt, though, before a series of loans took him to Sampdoria, Salernitana and then Genoa.
It was in Liguria that his career took off. Dragusin starred in Genoa’s promotion, earned a permanent move and then impressed in Serie A across late 2023 and early 2024, form that attracted the attention of several big clubs, with Tottenham winning the race ahead of Bayern Munich.
His time in the Premier League proved harder than expected, however, with a serious knee injury disrupting his progress and limiting his minutes.
A return to Italy now offers the chance to rebuild, with the obligation-to-buy clause meaning Fiorentina are committing to him long-term should the season play out as expected.