Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has acted fast on transfer deadline day after learning Radu Dragusin is set to miss the rest of the season through injury.
Dragusin was forced off with a knee injury just 21 minutes after coming off the bench during Spurs’ 3-0 win over Elfsborg on Thursday in the Europa League.
The Romanian appeared to land awkwardly as he planted his right foot when attempting a clearance near the touchline and was unable to continue.
And the injury has confirmed Postecoglou’s worst fears that he could be out for a long time it was confirmed he had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, following an assessment by the club’s medical staff.
The Athletic report Dragusin will undergo surgery with a ‘top knee surgeon’ in London and will be out for an ‘extended period of time’.
It is unlikely that the 23-year-old will feature again this season, with typical recovery times for such an injury ranging between six and nine months.
The club are hoping he can return to fitness over the summer and potentially take part in pre-season. But for this campaign, Postecoglou’s injury crisis only continues to worsen.
Dragusin’s injury leaves the Australian boss with the bare bones at the back, having played for the majority of the season alongside Archie Gray and Ben Davies.
Cristian Romero remains sidelined but Micky van de Ven is set to return to first-team action.
However, Postecoglou is leaving nothing to chance and wants another central defender brought in before tonight’s 11pm deadline.
Chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange have been busy trying to put together late deals to strengthen the squad, having already captured Kevin Danso from RC Lens to bolster their defensive depth.
Bayern Munich winger Mathys Tel is also expected to sign on a straight six-month loan deal after initially turning down a permanent switch.
And reports suggest Spurs are making a late effort to sign Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, 22, in a £20m deal.
The Frenchman has proven his fitness by starting every one of the Clarets’ 30 games in the Championship this season, with their rock-solid defence incredibly only conceding nine goals so far this season.
As a result, Burnley are holding out for a £30m fee for the youngster, who arrived from Montpellier in 2024 after impressing during a loan spell.
It comes after the north London club failed to convince Chelsea defender Axel Disasi to swap one side of the capital for another. The two clubs had agreed on a loan deal, only for Disasi to reportedly turn down a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.