Tottenham defender Rad Dragusin will not join up with the Romania national team after Spurs made it clear they do not want him to.
The centre-back has been out of action since January due to a serious knee injury suffered in a Europa League game.
The 23-year-old damaged his ACL in a match against Elfsborg and has not been back on the field since, although he is closing in on a recovery.
There is hope that the Romanian could return to the pitch by the end of October, with Spurs boss Thomas Frank talking positively about his progress.
Speaking last week, Frank said of Dragusin: ‘He’s progressing well. He’s been on the grass for three weeks now. He is on track. It will be some weeks before he is able to be involved.’
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With that in mind Tottenham were not thrilled to see Dragusin named in Romania’s preliminary list of overseas-based players for their fixtures in the upcoming international break.
Mircea Lucescu’s side take on Moldova in a friendly on October 9 and then Austria in a World Cup qualifier three days later.
It was pretty ambitious of the Romania manager to include Dragusin on his preliminary list and he admits that he will now not end up calling up the defender to his squad after Tottenham made their feelings clear.
‘I spoke with him,’ Lucescu told Fanatik of Dragusin. ‘He was very happy for the national team comeback but I don’t think I will call him. Tottenham wasn’t so happy to let him come now at the national team.
‘He needs one more month to play again. Radu wants to come, but others warned us it is better to let him train with Tottenham now.’
Dragusin’s move to Spurs from Genoa in January 2024 made him the most expensive Romanian player ever, wit the deal worth a guaranteed £21.5m and £4.3m in add-ons.
He made nine Premier League appearances before the end of that first season and was used regularly over the last campaign before his injury, making 28 appearances in all competitions.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have forged a successful partnership at centre-back for Spurs but Dragusin will be challenging for a place inn the heart of the defence again when he is back to fitness.
Frank will be without Romero in the Champions League against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night, saying that the Argentinian’s absence is ‘just precaution.’
Speaking ahead of the trip to Norway, Frank also ruled out striker Dominic Solanke, who is dealing with an ankle injury and faces an operation.
‘Dom, you know, got that ankle issue that’s been bothering him for a little while,’ he said. ‘So now we decided to make a minor surgery. It’s a small procedure. So that will mean he’s not ready for today, of course. And of course, Leeds he’s out as well.
‘We will have more news about time frame after the international break. But I don’t expect it to be long.
‘[Randal] Kolo Muani, I think now we’re finally on top of his dead leg. So there’s also progress there. So that’s good. And Cuti [Romero not travelling] was just precaution.’