Luka Vuskovic is said to be ready to submit a transfer request in a bid to force his way out of Tottenham Hotspur, as Brighton & Hove Albion step up their efforts to land the highly-rated defender.
Standard Sport report that Spurs are weighing up a third bid from Brighton worth around £45 million, with the Croatian teenager keen to leave north London in pursuit of regular first-team football. The 19-year-old is reportedly prepared to go as far as formally requesting a move after getting no guarantees from head coach Roberto De Zerbi over consistent game time next season.
Competition for defensive spots has ramped up considerably at Tottenham following the summer arrivals of Marcos Senesi and former Brighton man Jan Paul van Hecke, both brought in to strengthen the backline. De Zerbi made shoring up the defence a top priority after Spurs shipped 57 Premier League goals last season, with experienced left-back Andy Robertson also added to bring more leadership and stability at the back alongside Senesi and Van Hecke.
Even with the crowded defensive picture, Vuskovic boosted his stock through a productive loan spell at Bundesliga side Hamburg last season, catching the eye of several major European clubs — both Bayern Munich and Barcelona have previously been credited with interest in the Croatian, who’s now looking to build further momentum with strong showings at the World Cup.
He featured in Croatia’s opening group game, a 4-2 defeat to England, and is set to play a prominent role again when his country takes on Panama next week. Addressing the uncertainty over his future, the young defender said his focus for now remains firmly on Croatia’s World Cup campaign, while making clear that securing regular minutes at club level is ultimately what matters most to him going forward.
