Fabio Paratici’s impending arrival from Tottenham and the beauty of Florence wasn’t enough to tempt Radu Dragusin. Multiple reports this week have made it clear the Spurs defender isn’t enthused by a switch to La Viola this month.
Fiorentina find themselves in the Serie A relegation zone, with the very real danger they could drop into the abyss. Paratici is the man trying to oversee a rescue, but Spurs have delayed his move.
Dragusin won’t be arriving either, having turned them down.
AS Roma, who are fifth in Serie A and not entirely out of the transfer battle, appeared for Dragusin on Thursday. Things are moving rather more fluidly on this one.
Friday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport stated the transfer ‘gained momentum in recent hours’.
There was one issue. Tottenham wanted a permanent exit and Roma were only keen on a loan, perhaps with a summer option.
As Sport Witness explained this morning: ‘Roma would prefer a low cost loan, with perhaps an option to buy in the summer. They’d likely have to meet somewhere in the middle with Tottenham for the 23-year-old.
‘A loan with a compulsory purchase clause based on certain conditions could be the way forward. That’s what Roma were considering for Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee.’
It would appear that’s the way things have gone in recent hours.
Filippo Biafora, of Rome newspaper Il Tempo, reports ‘the deal under discussion is a loan with an obligation to buy subject to conditions’.
In addition, ‘Dragusin has given his approval’, negotiations are hot and there’ll be further contacts in the coming hours.
No finance details have been shared at this point. That may be where things slow down a little.