Luka Vuskovic wants out of Tottenham Hotspur permanently, with the teenage defender unhappy at the prospect of being loaned out or warming the bench, talkSPORT understands.
The 19-year-old’s frustration has been fuelled by Spurs’ summer defensive business — the arrival of Marcos Senesi and the imminent signing of Jan Paul van Hecke for £52million from Brighton — which has left his path to first-team football at the club looking increasingly narrow.
Ironically, Brighton had attempted to sign Vuskovic just days before losing Van Hecke to Spurs, submitting a £35million bid that Tottenham swiftly rejected. That snub appears to have hardened the Croatian international’s desire to leave, as he seeks regular competitive minutes elsewhere.
Spurs are believed to value the five-cap Croatia youth international at £60million — a significant premium on what they paid to secure him.
Europe’s Hottest Prospect
Vuskovic’s push for an exit comes off the back of a spectacular loan spell at Hamburg during the 2025/26 season, where he registered six goals in 30 appearances and earned a place in the Bundesliga Team of the Season. Those displays have attracted attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Juventus and Bayern Munich all reportedly keeping tabs on the defender.
talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs also recently named him among the five best wonderkids at the World Cup, further cementing his reputation as one of the most sought-after young players on the continent.
Tottenham originally agreed a £12million deal with Hajduk Split in 2023 to sign Vuskovic, though EU regulations delayed his move to the club until last summer. His only outing in a Spurs shirt came during a pre-season friendly against Reading, where he remarkably scored and set up another goal within just eight minutes of coming on.
A Centre-Back Swap in the Making?
Brighton’s pursuit of Vuskovic came shortly after talks between the two clubs over Van Hecke. talkSPORT understands a deal for the Dutchman has since been agreed, following two previously rejected Tottenham bids. Brighton CEO Paul Barber confirmed the club had turned down both earlier offers before finally allowing the defender to leave, with Van Hecke entering the final year of his contract at the Amex Stadium.
