Tottenham teenager tipped to break into first team; high hopes at N17

Luka moved to Bundesliga side Hamburg on a loan transfer in the recently concluded summer transfer window. While many were surprised about the move, this one is going to grab him some senior experience, given that minutes at Tottenham Hotspur stadium would have been hard to come by. But Tottenham still see him as part of their long-term plan at the heart of defence.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News, John Wenham, owner of the reputed Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, spoke about how this loan to the German top tier can act as a perfect stepping stone for Vuskovic. He said:

“If he’s going to go to Hamburg and he’s going to play 40 or 45 games between now and the end of the season.

“Come back as a 19-year-old next year with nine months, a whole Bundesliga season under his belt, added on top of what he’s already done, at the Polish club and also the Belgian League last year.

“He’s then quite hugely experienced and will be looking to push into the Tottenham first team at that point.”

Vuskovic would not have minutes at Tottenham with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven already at N17

The thing is Vuskovic is not just another academy hopeful. The teenager already has a Croatia cap, and all of us were impressed with his performances in the pre-season. If we also take a look at his nine goal contributions in 28 league games for Westerlo last year, he was more than just decisive. Standing with a 6’4” frame, the 18-year-old has the stature which can help him in the Premier League. But it is also his composure on the ball, complemented by his ability to read the game, that makes him special.

The thing with Vuskovic is that the presence of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven at the heart of defence dries out his opportunities at Tottenham. The centre-back duo pair are not just first choice, but are among the best defensive duos in the English top tier and are virtually undroppable. So for now, Vuskovic’s integration into the starting lineup will rely on the rotation when he comes back (at least unless one of those two gets injured).

If Luka ends up thriving, Tottenham will have someone next summer with experience across four leagues and a real case to play in that Thomas Frank’s first team.