Ange must build Tottenham defence around 94% loanee after what he did on Monday
Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham fans alike should be ecstatic about Luka Vuskovic’s upcoming arrival.
When Spurs finalised Vuskovic’s £12 million transfer from Croatian team Hajduk Split, very few fans would have heard anything about the youngster (Evening Standard, 25 September).
Although the center-back has just recently turned 17, the sum of money is significant, and the list of teams interested in signing him attests to his potential.
The defender was targeted by some of the greatest teams in Europe, including Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain, but Tottenham emerged victorious in the end.
However, FIFA regulations state that British teams are not allowed to recruit foreign players under the age of 18 after the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.
Vuskovic will thus have to wait until 2025 to sign with Spurs, after turning eighteen, since he already has a contract in place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that lasts until 2030.
Vuskovic left Hajduk Split on loan before coming to Hotspur Way; the Polish team Radomiak Radom was his desired destination, as exclusively disclosed by Tottenham News back in September (via The Athletic, 31 January).
Vuskovic has steadily become used to life in the Ekstraklasa, despite a challenging beginning. His most recent performance left Postecoglou with no doubts.
How soon may Luka Vuskovic be brought into Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham starting lineup?
Since coming on loan, Vuskovic has already played four games for Radomiak Radom.
In the 66th minute of the team’s 6-0 loss against Cracovic (10 February), he made his debut off the bench under trying circumstances.
Despite the circumstances, he was nevertheless productive while on the field, winning all 100 of his aerial duels and producing two clearances (Sofascore).
After that, on February 16, Vuskovic made his entire debut in a 4-0 loss against Pogon. Despite this, he struggled a little, winning just 50% of his aerial duels and only making 69% of his passes.
But with his previous two outings, Vuskovic has turned things around and shown that it only took a few games for him to adjust to his new environment.
On February 26, Radomiak Radom drew 0-0 with Warta Poznan, maintaining a much-needed clean sheet after giving up 10 goals in two games. Vuskovic led his team to a shutout by winning seven of his ten ground duels, making four clearances, one interception, and blocking one shot.
And on March 4, he scored a goal by heading in from a corner to lift the team to a 2-1 win at home against Stal Mielec. That was a completely different level of play from him.
After giving Radomiak Radom the lead, he made every effort to guarantee that they would leave with the three points, winning seven of his nine ground duels, making five clearances, and completing 94% of his passes.
Showing that he can do it all, he also struck the woodwork and delivered three precise long balls forward to Postecoglou, who would have been closely monitoring his development back at Hotspur Way.
When Luka Vuskovic joins Tottenham in 2025, he will be eager to get started right away.
Even though the defender will just be 18 when he joins Hotspur Way before the 2025–2026 season begins, it’s crucial to remember that he will already have a tonne of senior experience under his belt.
Because of this, if Vuskovic keeps going in this direction, Postecoglou may be willing to base his Tottenham defence on the centre back the next season.
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