Radu Dragusin finally got some minutes under his belt, playing 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Leyton Orient. It’s been a long road back for the Romanian defender after an ACL injury in January during Tottenham’s Europa League match with Elfsborg. As shared by Tottenham on their official X account, this was his first real taste of competitive action in nearly 10 months, and it feels like a big step toward returning to Spurs’ first team.
As reported by SoftFootball, his progress came shortly after Tottenham’s recent matches have proved to be so intense, especially following matches like the 1-0 loss to Chelsea, where João Pedro scored a late winner, and the 2-2 draw with Manchester United, showing how crucial squad depth really is.
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Dragusin, who joined Spurs for a reported £25 million, has been slowly reintegrated into training over recent weeks. The friendly was a smart way to test him in a match-like environment without the pressures of a stadium crowd. He looked composed, made some encouraging touches, and showed flashes of the player Tottenham hope to see back in full fitness soon. It’s all part of a careful plan to make sure he comes back fully ready rather than rushing things.
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Manager Thomas Frank has been taking it step by step. In late October he mentioned Dragusin was fully integrated into training but still needed big area stuff to get match-fit. This phased approach is similar to what they did with Randal Kolo Muani during his recovery, letting players get minutes in low-risk settings first.
Dragusin will not join Romania for World Cup qualifiers but will spend a short period training with the national squad. He is expected back at Hotspur Way in time for Tottenham’s Premier League clash with Arsenal on November 23, 2025. While he cannot feature in the Champions League group stage, Spurs could register him for knockout fixtures next year if they advance.
