Tottenham wants to decide soon
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This article appeared on Transfermarkt in its first version on June 12th. and was subsequently updated.
After his strong season at Hamburger SV, Luka Vuskovic is likely to be one of the most exciting personnel on the transfer market in the summer. As “The Athletic” reported, Brighton & Hove Albion is interested in the 19-year-old central defender from Tottenham Hotspur – an initial offer well below Vuskovic’s market value was unsurprisingly rejected. According to consistent reports, the poker is now entering the next round.
Last season, Vuskovic was loaned out from Tottenham to Hamburger SV and was one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga. In 28 appearances he not only showed his defensive qualities, but also impressed offensively with six goals. His market value rose from 12 million to 60 million euros – making him the most valuable defender under the age of 20 behind Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí. In Hamburg they dreamed of keeping him, which is considered very unlikely given the competition and the transfer fee that has to be paid. His contract in North London runs until 2030.
According to “The Athletic”, Brighton had made an initial offer of 30 million pounds – the equivalent of 34.8 million euros – for Vuskovic. Since he is very popular with top clubs in Europe, this offer was rejected. After the rejection, coach Fabian Hürzeler’s club stepped up its efforts to woo Vuskovic – this is what Fabrizio Romano and “Sky” reporter Florian Plettenberg report in agreement. According to Romano, the Seagulls have made a new official offer of €45 million including bonuses. Tottenham will soon decide on the future of their defensive jewel. Vuskovic remains Brighton’s desired transfer target, while the Croatian World Cup driver is currently not talking to any other club about a move.
Vuskovic will soon be among the most expensive defenders up to the age of 19
Only twice in history has a defender under the age of 20 been paid a transfer fee of over 45 million euros. The most expensive was Matthijs de Ligt, who moved from Ajax Amsterdam to Juventus Turin in 2019 for 85.5 million euros, followed by Leny Yoro, who went from Lille to Manchester United in 2024 for 62 million euros.
Vuskovic is said to be extremely positive about a move to Brighton. In recent years, the Seagulls have helped talents like Moisés Caicedo and João Pedro take the next step in their careers. Vuskovic is also said to have a good relationship with Hürzeler, who was at FC St. Pauli before his time in England.
Brighton would like to improve their central defense in the summer, especially since their most valuable defender, Jan Paul van Hecke, left for Tottenham. The squad includes five other professionals in the center of defense: Diego Coppola, Olivier Boscagli, Igor Julio, Eiran Cashin and captain Lewis Dunk. Brighton only paid a transfer fee of at least 45 million euros for Georginio Rutter. Vuskovic should break this record if the club gets serious.