Relentless work ethic: What to expect from young Tottenham defender
Spurs have yet to see a lot of Radu Dragusin, but his training regimen may tell us something about his potential.
Spurs' go-to defenders, when healthy, have unquestionably been Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. With Romero's aggressiveness to meet attackers far up the pitch, and VDV's recovery pace to fill-in the gaps when Romero is too hasty, Ange has had a strong pairing for the back-line.
However, there's another highly-rated defender who's working to earn his spot behind the scenes, and though he's only been at the club for a little over two months, Radu Dragusin could have a bright future in North London.
The Romanian footballer got the most minutes he's had at Spurs during the weekend's victory over Aston Villa, after an unfortunate injury saw Micky van de Ven head for the sidelines.
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Collecting 41 of the cumulative 49 minutes he's had playing for his new club, Dragusin helped Tottenham seal a clean sheet performance against their current fourth-place competitors (Transfermarkt). The message sent in his performance was very clear, that being, he's ready to bring his best despite his current position on the team's list of center-backs.
That message was corroborated when The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke released some information detailing the defender's strict training and dieting regimen.
🥇| Radu Dragusin weighs his own food, measures his own sleep, and likes to go to the gym before and after training if he can. When Dragusin, who has one year left on a degree course in Romania, is not playing, he likes to play chess.
— The Spurs Express (@TheSpursExpress) March 13, 2024
Dragusin pores over footage of his own game,… pic.twitter.com/imAJZGQguo
It's no surprise that a player in what is arguably Europe's toughest division of football would bring such a dedication to their craft. Nevertheless, it's impressive to see such determination and focus from a player of that age, just 22-years-old.
With VDV unlikely to join the squad in their trip to Craven Cottage this Saturday, where they'll face 12th-place Fulham, Dragusin will be looking to start for the first time under Ange's purview. It could be the first game where we really get to see the defender in action, from the first whistle to the last.
If what Pitt-Brooke's says is true, perhaps fans can rest assured about the security of the back-line, even in the absence of their reliable Dutchman.
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