Spurs open talks for lightning-quick Dragusin upgrade in £25m "warrior"
This season has been a tough one for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful.
Their team have looked good here and there, and can play anyone off the park on their day, but it would be fair to say the opposite is also true.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are arguably the most entertaining team in the country but currently sit down in 11th place, and the most significant reason for that is their dreadful defence, which has seen them conceed a whopping 28 goals.
One of the worst offenders has been backup centre-back Radu Dragusin, who has been relied upon far more than anyone would have expected this season, so it shouldn’t be a massive surprise that recent reports have linked the club with an ideal upgrade.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
In fact, Bailey has revealed that Spurs and fellow Premier League side Newcastle United have already made contact and ‘commenced talks’ over a potential move this year.
While the competition from the Toon is far from ideal, the good news is that the 20-year-old is said to be valued at just £25m.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Khusanov’s ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he’d be an ideal upgrade on Dragusin.
How Khusanov compares to Dragusin
Now, if they were fit, Spurs’ starting centre-back pairing would undoubtedly be Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, as they are some of the most highly thought-of defenders in the league and complement one another quite well.
However, as this season and the last have shown, they are both increasingly injury-prone, which has thrust Dragusin from a backup role into someone who’s starting games on a regular basis, and it’s him who could be upgraded upon by signing Khusanov.
With that said, how do the pair compare?
Well, when taking a look under the hood at their underlying numbers, it becomes increasingly apparent that the Uzbeck “warrior,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, is the far superior player.
For example, despite being two years younger, the Lens ace comes out ahead in the vast majority of relevant metrics, such as tackles, tackles won, blocks, interceptions, clearances, ball recoveries and aerial duels won, all per 90.
Khusanov vs Drăgușin
Statistics per 90
Khusanov
Drăgușin
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.05
0.01
Progressive Passes
3.98
3.21
Shots
0.55
0.37
Shots on Target
0.37
0.09
Passing Accuracy
88.1%
85.9%
Key Passes
0.19
0.09
Shot-Creating Actions
1.02
0.46
Tackles
1.39
0.83
Tackles Won
1.02
0.46
Blocks
1.57
1.38
Interceptions
2.41
1.28
Clearances
5.28
3.39
Errors Leading to Shot
0.00
0.37
Ball Recoveries
4.63
3.94
Aerial Duels Won
2.50
2.29
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season
Moreover, his underlying numbers also suggest that he is far more competent than the Romanian international going forward, as he emerges victorious in metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes, shots and shots on target, also per 90.
Finally, the Tashkent-born gem has something else over his potential competition: speed.
The 6 foot 1 titan is the fastest player in Ligue 1, registering a sprint speed of 36.48km/h, which is surprisingly close to Van de Ven’s top speed this season of 37.12km/h, which he clocked against Manchester United in October.
Ultimately, Khusanov looks to be an incredibly exciting prospect who is already good enough to replace Dragusin as Spurs’ backup centre-back this season.
Therefore, Daniel Levy and Co should do all they can to secure his services this month before someone else beats them to him.
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