Some players just can’t catch a break. Radu Dragusin, Tottenham’s Romanian centre-back, has found himself on the wrong end of another ugly collision, this time leaving the pitch in visible distress after a clash with Manchester United forward Rasmus Højlund during a fiercely contested World Cup qualifying encounter.
It’s the second serious injury the 23-year-old has suffered in a relatively short space of time, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Spurs fans will remember the discomfort of watching their January signing limp through spells of last season, and this latest blow will do nothing to ease concerns about his durability at the highest level.
The incident occurred midway through the second half, when Dragusin and Højlund went up for the same aerial ball and came down badly. The Romanian needed several minutes of treatment on the pitch before eventually being helped off, clearly unable to put weight on his leg. It was grim viewing.
Romania’s medical staff were visibly concerned pitchside, and team officials offered no reassurances about the severity of the knock in the immediate aftermath of the match.
Dragusin had been one of Romania’s standout performers in their qualifying campaign, bringing genuine composure to a backline that’s traditionally been prone to nervy moments. Losing him, even temporarily, is a significant blow to their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup in North America.
For Tottenham, there’ll be a familiar anxiety setting in. Ange Postecoglou has repeatedly stressed the importance of having a fit, settled defensive unit, and Dragusin was beginning to look like a genuine long-term option at the back. The club paid around £17 million to bring him in from Genoa, and they’ll be desperately hoping the injury isn’t as bad as it looked.
Højlund, for his part, wasn’t booked for the challenge. Officials judged it a genuine aerial contest, though replays suggested the Dane’s elbow caught Dragusin at an awkward angle. These things happen at pace; it doesn’t make them any easier to watch.
Spurs will be anxiously awaiting the scan results over the coming days. Whether Dragusin can be fit and firing in time for the Premier League resumption is the question every Tottenham supporter will be asking right now.
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