Florin Menea, the agent of former Genoa defender Radu Dragusin, has disclosed why his client chose to transfer to Tottenham, overlooking interest from Serie A powerhouses. In a recent interview with Radio CRC, Menea shed light on the intricacies of the decision.
Talking about the transfer decision, Menea stated, “De Laurentiis was ready to close the deal; they were almost on par with others, but it wasn’t just about money. If that were the case, he would have gone to Bayern which made the most significant offer. Dragusin felt that heading to Tottenham was the path to take. There was also interest from Milan as well as Napoli in Italy. Being attached to the fans in Genoa, it was a little difficult for him to envision himself in Italy, but it was hard to turn down renowned teams such as Milan and Napoli. Had there been no offers from outside Italy, we might have decided on an Italian team.”
Speaking on the matter of Napoli’s interest, Menea pointed out, “If Napoli had managed to sign Dragusin, it would have been a major capture. He was the only player of his calibre proven in Serie A and available at such a cost. Dragusin has been influenced by players like Ronaldo and leads a similar lifestyle. The work he puts in every day is commendable, such a dedication will surely pave his way to the higher echelons of the sport.”
Addressing Juventus allowing Dragusin to leave, Menea expressed, “Why Juventus let him go? I’m not sure. We didn’t expect him to develop so rapidly. Dragusin is highly intellectual, both academically and athletically. He self-improves rapidly. After every match, he calls me and we discuss all the plays, he asks me to correct him cause he values my honesty. Such growth on his part was unforeseen.”
On a final note about the potential of returning to Italy, Menea stated, “Although you can never say never in life. I have transported a striker to Genoa, hoping he’ll follow Dragusin’s footsteps. If he follows my advice, he will reach Serie A within two years. I do believe I have a good eye for talent. Perhaps a move to Napoli might be on the cards, time will tell if he fares well. Mr De Laurentiis left a good impression on me, he was very polite. Maradona is my idol and Napoli holds a special place in my heart. I hope to broker a deal with Napoli in the future. Napoli’s offer was not a bad one, it’s a pity how things turned out, admittedly, I’m somewhat a Napoli supporter.”