TTLB Opinion: Colombian star could be a better fit for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham system; should Tottenham sell Radu Dragusin to accomodate him?

Tottenham Hotspur have already been preparing to bring in some commendable signings when the summer transfer window comes around, and the North Londoners have been looking at multiple players, especially when it comes to the central defensive positions, and among them is Colombian international Jhon Lucumi. And as Daniel Levy continues to put his vision into the roster in the current backline, many have been debating over what kind of centre-backs truly fit the current system that Ange Postecoglou deployed at N17. Not to forget that Radu Dragusin is still at the club, and now the North Londoners have been subject to links with another defender, John Lucumi (both of them are expected to provide depth to the side), then it’s worth taking our time out to directly compare both the players and where they stand not only in raw quality but in the current system deployed at Hotspur Way, complemented by their abilities and what they would bring to the side in the long term.

Let’s start with some basics before we get into all the technical matters.

The Romanian centre-back on Spurs’ books has three years over Lucumi in terms of age (Radu is younger) and maybe a couple of inches in his frame (Radu is taller). While the Colombian prefers his left foot, his counterpart prefers the right one, so you can fit Jhon in a left centre-back role in a back four or a back three, while Dragusin is more of a right centre-back who can feature as an RCB in a back four or more down the middle in a back three.

Dragusin and Lucumi – a comparison

But now let’s get serious; let’s think more technically:

When we talk about Lucumi, he is naturally left-footed and brings that immediate (much-needed) balance to the build-up phase. And given his abilities with the ball, he is quite comfortable stepping into the middle of the park or maybe in wider zones to progress play when facing pressure.

Moreover, he can invert swiftly into a midfield-supporting role or drift wide when full-backs are tucked in or are flamboyant down the wide zones. So his positioning allows him to build up more cleanly down that left flank, which could be ideal given Udogie’s tendency to invert high and narrow.

Let’s come to Dragusin. He is a right-footed player playing in an RCB role and is more comfortable when defending from the front than breaking press, but that being said, he is physically dominant and very solid when it comes to aerial duels, but he is still adjusting to Tottenham’s high line. He does struggle a bit when it comes to circulating the possession quickly (especially in compact phases of the game). He is best when played in a defensive anchor role in a hybrid three-at-the-back.

If we are speaking pure tactical demands, Lucumi has more capacity to feature in Ange’s left centre-back role more naturally given his abilities with progressive play and his awareness under pressure, which is more in line with the rhythm Tottenham want.

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Who’s suits this Lilywhites side better?

If the club is aiming to establish the roster more along the lines of Ange Postecoglou’s progressive system with high possession, then John Lucumi does come through as an ideal left-sided CB. While for Dragusin, his talent and physical framework make him ideal for roles as a central defender within a three-back system or maybe more in a reactive role in a centre-back duo.

Lucumi has more positional understanding along with clean build-up and recovery intelligence and composure, which are essential elements in Tottenham’s developing tactical framework and is definitely better suited to the North Londoners in the current setup.