West Ham United are reportedly considering a bold move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin this January, as the Hammers intensify their efforts to escape the Premier League relegation zone. The club, under head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, faces a critical battle to avoid dropping into the Championship for the first time since 2012.
Relegation Fight and Transfer Strategy
West Ham have spent much of the current campaign hovering near the bottom of the table, despite a recent stoppage-time 2-1 victory away at Tottenham. That win narrowed the gap to safety to just five points, but it also highlighted Spurs' own struggles under manager Thomas Frank. To bolster their survival hopes, West Ham have already invested £45 million this month on strikers Pablo and Taty Castellanos, with the latter scoring a debut winner against QPR in the FA Cup.
Dragusin Emerges as Key Target
According to reports from Hammers insider ExWHUEmployee, West Ham are prepared to do business with their London rivals to sign Radu Dragusin. The 23-year-old Romania international, recently recovered from an ACL injury, has made only one brief substitute appearance in seven available matches, suggesting he is out of favour at Tottenham. Described as "perfect" for the Premier League by pundit Danny Murphy, Dragusin is keen for a fresh start and has attracted strong interest from Serie A side Roma.
West Ham are prioritising the centre-back position this window, with Dragusin among several targets, including Toulouse and England Under-21 star Charlie Cresswell. Tottenham are reportedly already lining up a replacement, Mika Marmol from Las Palmas, indicating a potential exit for Dragusin is on the cards.
Nuno's Rallying Cry Ahead of Sunderland Clash
Ahead of Saturday's home match against Sunderland, Nuno Espirito Santo emphasised the need for energy and fight from his players. "We need energy from the beginning, and to compete and fight for every ball," he said in a press conference. He noted that the win over Tottenham has boosted morale, but stressed the importance of fan support from the first minute.
Nuno confirmed that Lucas Paqueta will not be in the squad for the Sunderland game, while praising Callum Wilson for his winning goal against Spurs. "Callum gave us the winning goal last week in a match that’s so important, especially for our fans. It was beautiful to see, and we were all happy to take the three points," he added, highlighting Wilson as a key option for the team.
As the January transfer window approaches its deadline, West Ham's pursuit of Dragusin underscores their urgent need to strengthen the squad. With relegation looming and competition from Serie A, this potential move could be pivotal in their season's outcome.
