The north London club stands firm: The big talent will not be sold to Brighton this summer
Tottenham have turned down another bid for Luka Vuskovic, and according to David Ornstein, the second attempt from Brighton was not enough to convince Spurs to let the youngster go.
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The 19-year-old stopper has been a hot target for Premier League rivals from the south coast, while the north London club has been working hard to secure Jan Paul van Hecke – a deal that could theoretically open the door for Vuskovic to go the other way.
Spurs have already strengthened their defence this window by bringing in Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers, and Van Hecke is expected to be the third piece of De Zerbi’s defensive puzzle.
But despite the youngster now having even tougher competition for places, Tottenham seem far from ready to pass him on.
Brighton were once again turned down
While Tottenham have apparently agreed to sign Van Hecke, David Ornstein reports that the club have rejected a £35m bid from Brighton for Vuskovic.
This is the Seagulls’ second push to secure the Croatian international, who they see as a possible replacement for their own star defender on his way out.
Previous reports have claimed that Vuskovic has already agreed personal terms with Brighton, after he wants to take new steps in his development – not least after a breakthrough at Hamburg in the Bundesliga last season.
It is currently unknown whether the youngster himself will push for a transfer, especially considering that the road to a permanent place in the first team under De Zerbi looks steep.
Tottenham’s dilemma with Vuskovic
Spurs face a real challenge in trying to keep Vuskovic – because no one doubts his talent at such a young age.
The defender was described as “exceptional” during his stay in Hamburg, where he showed the ability to organize an entire defense and carry the team through an entire season.
With Senesi and Van Hecke in place, as well as Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso, it will be difficult to see where Vuskovic will get regular playing time. Possible sales of Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin could ease the pressure, but even then he will probably be behind several in the queue.
If Tottenham can present a realistic path to playing time, they may be able to convince him to stay – possibly with one or two loan spells to gain the necessary experience.
The question is whether the club will be able to show him that way, and whether he himself will accept it.
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