AliousRadu Drăgușin’s agent has confirmed that the defender rejected a highly lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia in order to stay at Tottenham Hotspur.
Florin Manea revealed that the Romanian international attracted strong interest from clubs in the Middle East during the January transfer window, but the player had no intention of leaving North London. The 24-year-old had only recently returned from a long-term knee injury in December and has since made eight Premier League appearances this season. He also continued his recovery by earning two caps for his national team during the international break.
Since joining Spurs from Serie A side Genoa in January 2024, Drăgușin has made 46 appearances across three seasons. He was linked with a move back to Italy earlier this year, while Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig and several Saudi Pro League clubs were also reportedly keen. However, according to his agent, a transfer was never seriously considered.
Manea said: “Let me tell you something — we turned down €50 million (£43.6 million) over five years for Radu, which is €10 million per year.
“We received a call from Saudi Arabia offering €10 million net annually, and we didn’t even think about it. How many players would reject that? The offer could have risen to €15 million or even €20 million per year — potentially €100 million over five years. I could have earned €20–30 million in commission myself, but we simply weren’t interested.”
He added that RB Leipzig also made an approach in January and could return with another offer in the future.
Drăgușin will now be aiming to impress new Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who recently replaced Igor Tudor. The managerial change follows a turbulent period at the club, with Thomas Frank previously succeeding Ange Postecoglou before Tudor’s short stint in charge.
De Zerbi has been handed the task of steering Spurs away from relegation danger, with the club currently hovering just above the drop zone. A heavy 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest before the international break left them perilously close to the bottom three, with West Ham United just one point behind in 18th place.
Speaking in his first interview, De Zerbi said: “I signed a five-year contract because this is a big challenge for me, and I will be Tottenham’s coach next season no matter what happens.
“I understand it’s a difficult moment for everyone at the club, but I believe we have the qualities to overcome it. I trust the players — we must remember who we are and the level we are capable of. There is real quality in this squad, and we need to rebuild confidence so they can show their true ability.”
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