Arsenal handed fresh January transfer blow as Fabrizio Romano drops big update

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Arsenal were recently linked with Genoa defender Radu Dragusin, but they have now been handed a blow as he is set to sign a new contract with his club.

Dragusin, 21, has been outstanding in Serie A this season, and began attracting interest from several clubs including Arsenal and Newcastle.

The Romanian centre-back came through the ranks at Juventus before moving to Genoa, and has played every minute of his side’s Serie A campaign this season, and scored a winning goal against Hellas Verona in November.

Fabrizio Romano reveals Arsenal Radu Dragusin blow

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that the centre-back is set to sign a contract extension with Genoa until 2028, and that there will not be a release clause in his deal, as rumoured.

“Radu Dragusin will sign new deal at Genoa in the coming days, director Ottolini confirms: “He’s the next one to sign new deal until June 2028,” Romano posted on X.

“His salary will be improved — there’s no €30m release clause into current deal despite reports.”

This almost certainly rules out a January move for the defender, and Mikel Arteta will now have to look elsewhere if he wishes to sign a defender.

Why did Arsenal want Radu Dragusin?

Arsenal now find themselves significantly short of defensive depth. The departures of Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney in the summer, as well as injuries to Thomas Partey, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, have left Arteta’s side light at the back.

Arteta is one injury to Ben White or William Saliba away from disaster, with Jakub Kiwior and Cedric Soares the only fit senior backup defenders right now. Declan Rice was trialled as a centre-back against PSV Eindhoven in case of emergency, and it would be far from ideal to have to move him out of midfield to provide cover.

Dragusin could have joined as a young defender in good form with high potential. At 1.91m tall, he would have provided a strong physical presence at the back, and he could have been the main cover for Saliba.

Arsenal’s title challenge was derailed when Saliba picked up an injury last season, and Arteta needs to find a way of providing cover for arguably his most important player to avoid the same mistake.

Given that White, Tomiyasu and Timber are versatile, Arsenal have flexibility over whether to prioritise a full-back or a centre-half, but it is clear that they need another body in the back line in the January window.