Evaluating Tottenham Hotspur's Emerging Star - Luka Vuskovic
Discover the potential of Luka Vuskovic, Tottenham Hotspur's rising talent, through an in-depth evaluation and analysis.
Strong, tall, and promising are words that could easily describe Tottenham Hotspur's new signing.
The team has made a signing that could easily be described as a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition, bringing Luka Vuskovic from Croatia's Hajduk Split, for a fee of around €12 million, to the London side.1
The 16-year-old defender, who will join Spurs in 2025, rose through the ranks at Hajduk to make his professional debut for the club earlier this year
Here are some key details about the defender.
Hajduk Split
Vuskovic, who had already made 11 appearances for Hajduk’s first team, received his professional debut in February, becoming the youngest player to compete in the Croatian top flight.2 He then managed to score his first-ever professional goal against NK Osijek the next month
Vuskovic also featured heavily for Hajduk Under-19’s run to the 2022-23 UEFA Youth League final, where they lost to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar (5-0).3 Despite a significant loss in the final, his team managed to defeat sides like Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and Milan.4
He was promoted to the senior team when he turned 16, making eight starts during the 2022-23 season.5 However, the teenager faced difficulties, conceding eight goals in his first two games with the team.6
Read more:
Playstyle
Vuskovic’s strong attribute is his size measuring 193cm, which will be a threat to opposition teams in the air. Even as a centre-back at the age of 14, he managed to score the most number of goals for Hajduk’s Under-17s side, totalling six in the Croatian Under-19 League.
Some of his other strong abilities are being able to play as a left-sided or right-sided centre-back, being able to play as a defensive holding midfielder and having good retention while under the press.7 According to BesoccerPROEN, the defender spends the majority of the match in his half (66%) and doesn’t venture too far into the opposition’s half (11%).
His skills make him a perfect fit for Ange Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 system, which demands centre-backs with strong passing skills and excellent possession abilities, qualities also demonstrated by Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven this season.
Van de Ven has managed 343 passes this season, averaging 65.67 passes per match, and boasts a 67% tackle success rate in his last six matches. In contrast, Romero has made 350 passes this season, averaging 58.33 passes per match.
Other teams who were interested
Vuskovic has to wait two years to join Spurs due to a FIFA rule that restricts overseas players from joining a club until they turn 18, a regulation prompted by the United Kingdom's exit from the EU in 2020.8
Despite the wait, Spurs fought hard to secure the signature of the Croatian defender. In March, Manchester City also expressed interest in signing the teenage defender, submitting a £10.2 million bid.9 Additionally, other teams, including Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain were also interested in the teenager.
Conclusion
As Vuskovic embarks on his journey with Spurs, the football world eagerly awaits the day he turns 18 and steps onto the Premier League stage. While he faces competition from seasoned players like Romero and Van de Ven, his unique skills and adaptability make him a promising prospect for Spurs' future. A potential loan to a top European league could further hone his abilities, and time will reveal whether he can make a significant impact in top-flight English football.
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Vuskovic to join Spurs - https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2023/september/vuskovic-to-join-spurs/
Ibid 1
Tottenham complete signing of 16-year-old Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk -Splithttps://theathletic.com/4897401/2023/09/25/tottenham-luka-vuskovic-transfers-hajduk/
The next Gvardiol? Tottenham signing Luka Vuskovic profiled - https://www.transfermarkt.com/the-next-gvardiol-tottenham-signing-luka-vuskovic-profiled/view/news/428474
Ibid 3
Who is Luka Vuskovic? The Croatian WONDERKID signed by Tottenham - https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/uk-premier-league/2023/03/man-city-psg-transfer-luka-vukovic-who-stats-goals-profile
Luka Vušković: The World’s Best 15-Year-Old Footballer - https://croatiansports.com/luka-vuskovic-the-worlds-best-15-year-old-footballer/
Tottenham sign Croatian wonderkid Luka Vuskovic – but he won’t join from Hadjuk Split for another two years - https://talksport.com/football/1577572/tottenham-sign-luka-vuskovic-2025-hadjuk-split/
Ibid 8