Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Radu Dragusin is unlikely to return to action any time soon, according to injury expert Dr. Rajpal Brar.
The Romanian defender is still in the early stages of recovery after undergoing surgery for a serious knee injury suffered in February.
Dragusin, 23, was ruled out for the remainder of the season following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Injury expert confirms Radu Dragusin’s slow road to recovery
Dr. Brar provided an update on his rehabilitation process, noting that he is in his early stages of recovery with the focus remaining on foundational strength and mobility work.
Discussing the player’s recovery state, Dr Brar told Tottenham News:
“He’s very much still in the relative early stages of his ACL rehab process, about eight weeks post surgery.
“He will be working on improving his strength, range of motion, some balance work along with getting his walking gait back to normal.
“Best case for return to individual training is latter parts of the summer prior to next season so I’d say three more months.“
Dragusin’s uncertain future at Tottenham
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 for a fee of €25 million, making him the most expensive Romanian footballer in history.
He made his debut in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United just days after signing, but struggled to nail down a starting role ahead of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Those struggles carried on into this season, however, a wave of defensive injuries gave Dragusin an extended run in the team. He made 28 appearances across all competitions, including 14 Premier League starts, before being sidelined by the knee injury.
Tottenham responded to the injury crisis by signing Kevin Danso in January, and the Austrian international’s impressive performances have cast doubts over Dragusin’s long-term role at the club.
Reports have since emerged suggesting Spurs may consider sending Dragusin out on loan next season—possibly to another Premier League side—to regain fitness and form.
This isn’t the first time Dragusin’s future has come into question. His agent has made headlines for voicing dissatisfaction over his limited minutes, hinting on multiple occasions that a move could be on the cards if his situation didn’t improve.
For now, Dragusin’s focus remains solely on recovery. Whether he features in Ange Postecoglou’s long-term plans will likely depend on his rehabilitation progress and how the club reshapes its defence ahead of the new season.
