Report: £25m defender Newcastle 'really like' is now set to stay put until the end of the season

Newcastle United have been keeping a close eye on Genoa defender Radu Dragusin and it was thought a move would be made in January.

For a couple of months, Newcastle and Dragusin have been linked often, even going as far as the player's agent saying that a deal was close.

Around the same time, Fabrizio Romano had said that Dragusin was going to sign a new deal at Genoa, and now it sounds like neither report is accurate.

The Dragusin story takes another turn

That's according to La Voce Rorroblu who now says that 777, the group who own Genoa and several other clubs, have a plan to rebuild Genoa and don't want to lose Dragusin just yet.

Sportfotodienst / Profimedia

That's not to say that a deal can't be done, but it now seems as though they'd rather wait until the end of the season rather than lose the £25million rated defender in January.

Newcastle could really do with some cover in defence having lost Sven Botman for three months and now look to be without Fabian Schar for a couple of games too.

Newcastle's lack of squad depth has been exposed this season

Jamaal Lascelles has done a superb job filling in for Botman this season, so it's not slight on him, but the injuries this season have exposed just how weak our squad is when we lose players in a couple of key positions. Although to give credit where it's due, the lads have still done an exceptional job regardless.

Dragusin is just 21 and would therefore be an ideal signing for Newcastle who want to bring in highly-regarded young players to turn them into stars down the line. Having a young centre-back pairing who can grow into a solid partnership together would be ideal.

Newcastle aren't the only club looking at Dragusin, though, with Tottenham and AC Milan also keen on the Romanian.