The January transfer window is in full swing, sparking a flurry of negotiations and rejected bids across European football. Tottenham Hotspur have made an early decisive move, turning down an approach from Italian club Roma for one of their defenders.
Spurs Stand Firm on Dragusin
Tottenham Hotspur have rejected a loan approach from AS Roma for centre-back Radu Dragusin. The Romania international, who was an unused substitute in Spurs' recent match against Aston Villa, has attracted interest from his former league. His agent, Florin Manea, had publicly courted a return to Italy, stating to Rai Sport that he was 'waiting for Tottenham to say yes to Roma' and highlighting that 'Italy is special for Radu'. Despite the appeal of a Serie A return for the player described as a 'gladiator', Spurs have swiftly snubbed the proposal.
Loan Moves and Striker Searches
Within the Tottenham camp, forward Mathys Tel is keen to secure a loan departure to gain crucial playing time. The 20-year-old Frenchman, whose £30m permanent move from Bayern Munich was finalised last summer, has started only six matches under manager Thomas Frank despite scoring three goals. His primary motivation is to force his way into the French national squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Aston Villa have revived their interest in striker Tammy Abraham. The 28-year-old, who enjoyed a prolific loan spell at Villa Park during his Chelsea days, is currently on loan at Besiktas from Roma. The Turkish side hold an option to make the move permanent for £11.2m, meaning Villa would need to negotiate with both clubs to secure a transfer. Villa are also monitoring Newcastle United's Will Osula.
European Interest and Contract Talks
Juventus are actively pursuing a January move for Bournemouth defender Marco Senesi to pre-empt summer competition. The 28-year-old Argentina international is out of contract at the end of the season and is also on Barcelona's radar as a potential free agent.
At Everton, the club are progressing with talks to secure midfielder James Garner on a new contract. The former Manchester United player has drawn attention from AC Milan and Nottingham Forest, but the Toffees are hopeful of finalising an agreement to keep him at Goodison Park.
Other Transfer Rumours
The transfer ripple effects are being felt across the continent. Napoli, concerned that Manchester United will not release Kobbie Mainoo following a managerial change, have added Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes to their shortlist. Meanwhile, Watford are in discussions with Roma's Edoardo Bove over a six-month contract. The 23-year-old midfielder has not played since collapsing on the pitch 13 months ago and has had an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) fitted. Serie A rules prevent him from playing in Italy with the device, prompting Roma to cancel his contract, which would allow him to join Watford as a free agent.
