Brighton bid £30m for Tottenham teenager Vuskovic as Van Hecke talks continue

Brighton have submitted a £30 million bid for Tottenham’s teenage defender Luka Vuskovic, with the 19-year-old Croatian emerging as a key transfer target for the Seagulls ahead of their return to European football next season.

Vuskovic has yet to make a senior appearance for Spurs since joining from Hajduk Split in 2023, but a breakout loan spell at Hamburg has significantly raised his profile. The centre-back featured 30 times across all competitions last season — including 28 Bundesliga appearances — and made his full international debut for Croatia. His form earned him a place in Zlatko Dalic’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, where Croatia could face England in the coming days.

Before Hamburg, Vuskovic gained experience on loan at Westerlo in Belgium and Radomiak Radom in Poland, steadily building his senior credentials despite his age.

The pursuit of Vuskovic is unfolding alongside a separate but related negotiation between the two clubs. Brighton are in discussions with Tottenham over the sale of central defender Jan Paul van Hecke, though Spurs have already rejected two offers for the Dutchman. The parallel talks add an unusual dimension to the transfer relationship between the clubs, with Brighton potentially looking to move one defender on while bringing another in.

Brighton have already strengthened their defensive options this summer, securing the free-transfer arrivals of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi following the expiry of their contracts at Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively. Vuskovic, if signed, would further deepen a backline being rebuilt under head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

For Tottenham, the summer arrives after one of the most turbulent seasons in recent memory. Spurs narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign, having cycled through three managers — sacking Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor before appointing De Zerbi. Selling a highly-rated academy asset at this stage would represent a significant decision for a club in the midst of rebuilding.

Brighton, by contrast, are in a more stable position, having secured a Conference League berth for next season. The added fixture load of European competition makes squad depth a priority, and landing a defender of Vuskovic’s potential would give De Zerbi further options at the back.