With Brighton bidding £30 million for Luka Vuskovic, and admiring glances elsewhere for the young Tottenham star, it feels like the start of a summer transfer story, not an ending.
Vuskovic is yet to kick a ball for Spurs and allegedly sees a switch to the South Coast as better for his development. How true is that? Is he worth £30 million? And, where would Vuskovic fit in this evolving Tottenham squad?
Vuskovic has already shown he can thrive in first-team football
Driving interest in Luka Vuskovic is his impressive loan spell in Hamburg, where he paired a strong defensive showing with an attacking edge.
Six goals from centre-back is an impressive haul, whatever league you’re in. Standing at 6’4, Vuskovic is a dominant presence in the air, something that’s an advantage in both boxes.
He is composed in possession, imposes himself defensively, and can operate both on the left-side and right-sides of defence. The Croatian is producing, adapting and showing he has what it takes to be a frontline option already.
Is Luka Vuskovic worth £30 million to Tottenham?
Tottenham have rejected an initial offer of £30m for Luka Vuskovic from Brighton. For a teenager yet to play a second of Premier League football, it could perhaps seem a rash move, but a closer look at the market validates this.
Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol cost more than £75 million at 21, with Wesley Fofana commanding a similar fee when moving to Chelsea at a comparable age.
The likes of Levi Colwill are valued around £50 million too showing that, for a young centre-back who has already proven his potential with a string of fine performances in the Bundesliga, £30 million is low.
Selling at such a fee is not maximising Vuskovic’s potential value. Should he continue to progress, it’s not hard to see him being worth double that in short order.
But is Vuskovic going to play under Roberto De Zerbi?
Vuskovic reportedly wants a move to Brighton and has already agreed personal terms with the club.
Brighton have a track record of trusting younger players and developing them, with some being catapulted to some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Vuskovic would also likely be a starter for the Seagulls with playing regular football, after his loan to Hamburg, surely of paramount performance for the 19-year-old.
At Tottenham, the picture is less clear.
Micky van de Ven is already a key man. Cristian Romero – while doubts over his future remain – is captain. Radu Dragusin is another young centre-back wanting minutes. Marcos Senesi has recently arrived from Bournemouth.
Furthermore, Tottenham appear to still be in the market for more. A third offer for, ironically, Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke is expected.
It does not send the message to Vuskovic that there is a clear pathway in front of him.
That’s despite there being a lot about his game that would suit Roberto De Zerbi’s style of football. His comfort and composure in possession and willingness in stepping forward to name a few.
So, should Tottenham hold their nerve and resist any sale?
With Vuskovic at the World Cup with Croatia, any conclusion to this saga likely is a way off. However, it does feel like it’s a transfer where the ramifications go beyond just the fee.
Selling Vuskovic feels like it would be admitting there is no pathway for him at Tottenham. It also feels like surrendering a player who could have an enormous ceiling.
There are of course no guarantees in football. Sometimes the players that shine brightest when they are young end up fading before they’ve had a chance to hit their peak.
But the Croatian’s performances in the Bundesliga suggest, if there is a parting of the ways, there is a very real danger he could end up being the one that got away.
With De Zerbi’s talk of tactical flexibility after the signing of Marcos Senesi, plus his favoured approach in France with Marseille, perhaps a back three is in the offing. That would surely improve Vuskovic’s odds of regular football.
Perhaps Tottenham will end up finding a compromise in a more creative solution. A loan with a very high option to buy. A sale with a big sell-on clause. A sale with a buy-back clause. Something that gives Vuskovic a chance to play, but protects Spurs from making an almighty mistake.
Hopefully, once the World Cup is over and pre-season begins, maybe there is still a chance the Croatian can be convinced his long-term future lies in N17.