Newcastle United have been handed a boost in their chase for £25 million Genoa defender Radu Dragusin with his mum admitting that the Romania international dreams of playing in the Premier League.
One wonders how the Genoa bosses feel about all this.
Barely a week goes by these days without one member of Radu Dragusin’s camp making some rather big claims about his future. The defender’s agent, Florin Manea, has already admitted that he has held ‘advanced’ talks with a number of Premier League clubs, confirming that Newcastle United are one of the club’s ‘watching’ the former Juventus youngster ahead of the January transfer window.
Newcastle United in Radu Dragusin race
Dragusin’s mum, meanwhile, has done little to put out the raging fires of speculation either.
Speaking to Romanian publication AS on Tuesday, Svetlana Dragusin admitted that her 21-year-old son would be fulfilling a ‘childhood dream’ if he secures a winter switch to St James’ Park.
“I wish for him to reach where he set out to (go to). And he really wants to reach England,” Svetlana explains.
“This is his childhood dream.”
A dream which could soon become a reality.
Newcastle United have long been in the market for a new right-sided centre-half. One who could act as an understudy for, and then eventually replace, the soon-to-be 32-year-old Fabian Schar. Dragusin certainly ticks that box, with Newcastle investing heavily in potential since that Saudi Arabian takeover.
Manea, who has a relationship with Newcastle director Dan Ashworth after a deal they did together when he was at West Brom, believes a summer departure is more likely than a winter one. The deep-pocketed Magpies could yet force the Serie A outfit into a January sale, however, with Genoa’s £25 million asking price unlikely to put Newcastle off.
Serie A outfit ‘want 30 million euros’
“Genoa doesn’t want to sell him now but, in the summer, yes (they will let him go) if they get the price they want for him,” Manea says.
“Genoa want 30 million euros. They said directly. I don’t think there is anyone in Italy who would pay this amount of 30 million euros.
“I talked about the Premier League, I talked about Newcastle. But they are not the only ones. There are several teams I am talking to.”
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