Tottenham Hotspur were successful in overcoming tough competition to sign Radu Drăgușin from Genoa in the winter market.
Both Bayern Munich and Napoli showed keen interest in the centre-back, but they had to accept defeat to Spurs in their transfer pursuit.
Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis has now revealed that his side failed in their efforts to convince the 22-year-old to snub Tottenham, and his comments are relayed by Area Napoli.
The Serie A winners offered better terms financially. De Laurentiis claims the defender didn’t consider Napoli’s offer as he was keen on joining Ange Postecoglou’s side.
“I had offered him more than anyone: no one had given him the figures that we would have guaranteed him,” he said.
“Genoa replied to me: ‘Bayern Munich are also there, but the boy really wants England’. It wasn’t a question of money, because it doesn’t always go like this when you try to sign a footballer. If they tell you that the talent you want to hire is seen elsewhere, aspires to certain leagues, you can’t help but stop. We did our bit, but his choice was different.”
Tottenham have give the former Genoa man a contract until 2030. Since arriving in England last month, the player has been restricted to three substitute appearances, clocking in only eight minutes in the process.
