Tottenham star to train with national team despite being omitted from squad

Tottenham centre-back Radu Dragusin is poised to train with Romania during the international break despite being omitted from their squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bosnia and Herzegovina and San Marino.

The 23-year-old defender has not played a competitive match since January when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Spurs' 3-0 Europa League victory over Elfsborg.

But Dragusin is now on the comeback trail after returning to first-team training and there is hope he could make his first appearance under Thomas Frank before the end of the month.

Tottenham medical staff have been reluctant to rush the player's return as they want to get his rehabilitation right to avoid facing any unwanted setbacks.

Romania boss Mircea Lucescu recently included Dragusin in his preliminary squad for this month's international matches but unsurprisingly, he did not make the final cut.

However, Football.London understands the former Genoa star is expected to participate in some training with Romania during the international break, even though he will not feature in either of their World Cup qualifiers.

Last month, he was pictured in the gym with his international team-mates as Romania boss Lucescu has been keen to have his experience around the group.

It's understood Tottenham informed Romania national team chiefs that they did not want Dragusin to be included within their squad for this month's matches as they're continuing to build his fitness.

Romania currently sit third in Group H but could go second if they're able to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo.

Technically, snatching top-spot is still mathematically possible if results go their way but there is a firm chance they could secure a play-off place (via second) given they also face minnows San Marino in their final World Cup qualifier.

Last month, Frank revealed that if all goes to plan, the central defender could earn some minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the break before the return of club football.

Frank said: "That could be likely. I think we plan to play him in a friendly there, as I understand it, so that's a big part of it."

The Dane also noted that Dragusin's recovery was going to plan, explaining: "It's going well

"He's fully integrated into training now. Because an ACL is such a, it's not tricky but it's such a big injury, because you're out for nine months so you need to build strength in the knee and so on.

""Then because we don't train that much, the big area stuff is not that much so we need to give him some of the bigger area stuff. But he is definitely getting closer to being involved."

Dragusin joined Tottenham from Italian outfit Genoa in January 2024 in a transfer deal worth in the region of £26.7m.