Where to Next?

On loan with Hamburg last season, Luka Vušković tantalized Spurs fans with his performances in the Bundesliga. For a few years, the Croatian defender held the title of the most promising defender in Europe.

Tottenham seemed to have found another cornerstone for their next side, but his sale raised questions.

A towering figure, Vušković stole the footballing world’s attention in Belgium two seasons ago. After showcasing incredible skills both defensively and offensively, all of Europe seemed to be courting the Croat.

When Spurs signed the defender, especially after having won the Europa League, the team’s future looked much brighter. With young pieces starting to pop up, Vušković would be the crown jewel in the backline. Being sent out on loan only solidified the notion that the Croatian defender would soon become one of Europe’s best.

Out of nowhere, Tottenham decided to sell after a good loan spell to the developmental factory that is Brighton. Despite missing out on European football and narrowly avoiding relegation, Spurs spent money this summer as if they were preparing for a European campaign. That spending, coupled with the state of the rest of the Prem, makes this transfer even more baffling. 

Vušković will now get his chance to play in the Prem with a side that makes a name for itself in player development.

While Spurs added some great pieces for a team looking to jump back to the top six, will they regret letting go of this talent?

Breaking out at Westerlo, most saw Vušković as a prolific goalscorer for a center-back. His goalscoring prowess drew fans in, but his well-rounded game kept them watching.

Before making his loan debut with Westerlo, Vušković was a promising talent who had yet to fully prove himself. A Croatian youth international, he arrived in Belgium seeking consistent playing time. Over the past few seasons, the Belgian league has proven itself a solid developmental league.

Most became aware of the defender with his goal-scoring prowess, with his goal against Brugge making headlines. Finishing with seven goals as a defender is impressive, but Vušković showed that he was a well-rounded defender. Playmaking warts still appeared, but for a defender, the idea was that he could still develop that skill over time.

When Tottenham brought him in, the club opted to give Vušković more playing time via a loan. Freshly promoted Hamburg jumped at the chance to sign a player of his caliber, helping the club stay up in the Bundesliga.

Hamburg possessing a poor defensive record last season did little to impact how scouts across the continent viewed him. To no one’s surprise, his towering frame helps him win just about any duel, but challenging for the lead in the Bundesliga in interceptions is a great sign. Vušković uses his size to win these interceptions more easily, which is often harder for smaller players.

One aspect of his game that still needs development is his passing. While he remains an active passer, his completion numbers show he’s well below average. To be a better long-distance passer, to be better than a discount Leonardo Bonucci, the short passing game must come along.

Upon the conclusion of last season, Vušković promised to be an exciting project for Spurs as they entered this new era.

While aspects of his game still need some refining, it seemed likely that, in time, he could easily fulfill his potential.

Given how badly the past few seasons went for Tottenham, adding a promising player like Vušković felt like a fresh start. Instead of building the next generation for Spurs, the club opted to cash out now.

Getting over 40 million Pounds for a player yet to make their Premier League debut is, at face value, a good deal. Coupled with the Djed Spence sale, a weird pattern emerges for Spurs.

Both Spence and Vušković promised to be key players for a Spurs side looking to rebound after a few seasons spent in Premier League wilderness. However, the spate of impressive moves Spurs pulled off showed something else. From Marcos Senesi to Sandro Tonali, Spurs wanted these transfers to kickstart their return to the top six.

The mismatch between transfers and players created a stark contrast for the club, which ultimately meant sales were also coming. With the team looking to be competitive right away, developmental minutes would be hard to come by for the Croatian. For as good as Vušković played over the past two seasons, he’s still only 19 without experience in a league like the Premier League.

Cashing out on him now, as well as Spence and Cristian Romero, shows that the club needed to balance the books. Selling Romero made sense given the price they got for him, but selling Spence and Vušković meant something a little different. Essentially, the club couldn’t give these players the room needed to grow, so they decided to sell them at their peak value.

For Brighton, if everything breaks correctly for Vušković, they have a player who could play a key part in taking the club to the next level. Not only could the defender help the club’s performance, but a future sale could also see them double what they paid. With the club shelling out their largest fee, it’s clear that the Gulls truly believe in the Croatian’s potential.

Spurs clearly want to return to the level that they were at before this half-decade-long slide.

If that means sacrificing aspects of the future, Spurs management seems willing to do that.

Vušković may become one of the league’s best defenders should everything break his way, but that will be away from London. Wanting to return to the top six as soon as possible, Spurs decided to sacrifice the Croatian to balance their books.

Time will tell whether the club made the right choice, but it should work for both parties in the near future.