Will Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Nathan Collins be the end of Radu Dragusin spell’s at N17?
Tottenham Hotspur had been looking to bring in defensive reinforcements in the recently concluded summer transfer window. But given that the North Londoners didn’t bring in a quality centre-back back then, the club are now tipped to push for Nathan Collins when January comes around.
He is a defender that the new head coach at N17 knows well after having developed him into a reliable right-sided centre-back at Brentford. Collins is physical and has that ability to aerially dominate his side of defence. He also has that ability to progress the ball. And to add to it, the 23-year-old is quite disciplined in his positional presence as well.
Having him at the heart of defence is also quite effective, given how he is good at covering multiple zones and comes with a lot of experience in the Premier League. Bringing him to Hotspur Way from Brentford will help Thomas Frank strengthen his backline.
The Bees skipper played every single minute of Premier League action last season. And that saw him become a cornerstone under Frank’s successor in West London. But with the Dane head coach sitting at the helm at N17, there is a possibility that a reunion may be on the cards for the duo.
King backs Tottenham to sign Collins
While Tottenham did have a busy summer transfer window, most of the marquee investments were on the attacking side of things. The Lilywhites did make Kevin Danso’s loan into a permanent deal, but Frank still needs to add some defensive depth at N17. Given that Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven remain undroppable at the moment, but then both of them have seen inconsistencies with injuries in recent seasons.
And former Tottenham scout Bryan King has backed Tottenham to make a move for Collins, insisting that he would be an ideal addition at Hotspur Way.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News, he said:
“I’m sure that he would be a good option for Spurs.
“There are obviously things within the team that Frank still isn’t happy with.
“There’s been a consistent talk about centre-backs, so I would imagine that he’s not happy with what he’s got there. Although he’s got more options than he had at Brentford, that’s for sure.
“The only thing is, I look at Brentford and they’ve sold two very key players for a considerable amount, so they don’t need the money.”
Bringing in Collins also raises a Dragusin question
Given that the North Londoners are looking to bring in Collins in the upcoming winter transfer window, but if Collins signs at Hotspur Way, what does that mean for Radu Dragusin?
The Romanian has hardly had any chance to establish his place at N17, and then he had his ACL injury just when he was finding his feet. And now, just as there are talks of him possibly returning back soon, it looks like his opportunity to don that Lilywhites badge is already fading.
Given that Romero and Van de Ven are untouchable in that defence, with Danso patently being the third option behind them. With Collins potentially coming in, suddenly Dragusin is in a position where he is on the outside looking in. The former Genoa defender will then suddenly be a surplus in a roster that has no need for him.
Let’s be honest, given how Tottenham still has a need to bring in reinforcements along the pitch, you can’t keep collecting centre-backs. And if you are bringing in Collins with an understanding that he is Frank’s guy, then it is difficult to see how Dragusin can last in N17 for much longer.
Signing Collins also reiterates how Tottenham trusts Frank
Signing his former player at Hotspur Way is going to be more than numbers. It is about trust. We know that the Dane head coach is trying to make a roster with players he knows and the ones that he trusts to fit into his structural playing style. And Collins falls into that set quite easily.
If Tottenham are really looking to step into the Frank era, bringing in someone like Collins would represent another important statement. It would show that the chiefs at Hotspur Way are not just about the scouting system, but they also deeply trust the culture that their head coach is building blocks towards. Collins, in this sense, would in a way be Thomas Frank’s Romero, a kind of centre-back that he stakes his defensive identity on.
Bringing in Collins would be another step for Tottenham towards this rebuild under Thomas Frank. But it could also mean that it may spell the end of Dragusin’s time at Hotspur Way before it ever really began.
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