Tottenham have beaten off competition from Bayern Munich to make the central defender Radu Dragusin their second January signing in a €30m (£25.8m) deal.
Spurs improved their offer overnight and the 21-year-old Romania international is due to fly to London on Wednesday for a medical before signing a contract to 2029 and following Timo Werner in joining this month.
Going in the opposite direction is the full-back Djed Spence, who will spend the rest of the season on loan at Genoa, with Spurs continuing to pay his wages. Spence was recalled from a loan at Leeds last week and Genoa have an option to buy him in June for about €10m.
Dragusin, who can also fill in at right-back, will cost a guaranteed €25m plus easily achievable add-ons. It represents sound business for Genoa, who signed him from Juventus for just over €5m and add-ons after he impressed on loan. He came through the academy at Juventus and also spent time on loan at Sampdoria and Salernitana. Juve will get 20% of the fee for Dragusin.
Bayern sent a bid to try to hijack Tottenham’s pursuit of Dragusin but will have to focus on other targets for the position. They have an agreement on a contract with Spurs’ Eric Dier.