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Croatian football is entering a transition phase. The golden generation finalists of the 2018 World Cup are reaching the end of their run and retain some veterans like Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric. From then on, the new faces are named Josko Gvardiol, Luka Sucic and Martin Baturina. Players who are establishing themselves in the national team even if numerically it is still low enough to compensate for those who have hung up their boots. However, some talented players are getting closer to the selection and among them we already find Luka Vušković at only 17 years old.
A prodigy stolen by Tottenham from under PSG’s nose
Revealed during the 2022/2023 season where he became a starter at just 15 years old and scored his first goal a few weeks later at 16 years and 5 days old. Also carrying his team to the Youth League final (5-0 defeat against AZ Alkmaar), Luka Vušković was followed by the biggest clubs in the world such as AC Milan, Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid. But ultimately, it is Tottenham who will win despite the insistence of Paris Saint-Germain in this matter. “We are delighted to announce that we have reached an agreement for Luka Vuskovic to join the Club in 2025 from Hajduk Split, on a contract which will run until 2030” also launched the Spurs in September 2023 after finding a compromise with the Hajduk Split.
Spending 11 million euros, Tottenham had to wait until July 2025 and therefore the player’s majority to be able to count on him. A situation which led to quite astonishing management around the Luka Vušković case. Rather than leaving him in an environment he knows in Split, where he was trained, Tottenham preferred to send him on loan to a completely different championship: the Ekstraklasa. In Poland with Radomiak Radom which was then 10th in the championship, Luka Vušković will excel.
The Luka Vušković phenomenon
An indisputable starter, he will actively participate in maintaining his team and will shine both defensively and offensively (3 goals and 1 assist in 14 matches). Demonstrating solidity in duels and a lot of serenity with the ball or in his interventions, Luka Vušković will make everyone agree, including Tottenham who loaned him again this summer, but this time at a higher level. Head to Belgium and Westerlo for young Luka Vušković for one last experience before trying his luck with Tottenham.
And it’s going perfectly for him. Starting each of his matches, he is the boss of the Westerlo defense, which he helped to achieve an excellent start to the season. Among the best defenders in the Belgian championship, he once again delights everyone with his finishing quality. “Luka is a phenomenon. He is very calm with the ball and sets the pace. He has very good feet for a 17 year old player», said his coach Timmy Simons on October 4 after a draw against Berrschot where he scored a double.
Luka Vušković does better than Lamine Yamal
Already the author of 6 goals (1 assist) in 20 Jupiler Pro League matches, including a sublime scissor against FC Bruges, Luka Vušković obviously stands out for his efficiency in the zone of truth in set phases. It’s simple, he is his club’s top scorer, tied with strikers Matija Frigan and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh. This makes him the top scorer among defenders – Gabriel Mentz (8 goals) who plays in Malta and Ethan Britto (7 goals) who plays in Gibraltar do better – playing in a top 20 European championship (Belgium is 8th editor’s note) .
He is also the top scorer among players aged 19 or under in Europe playing in a top 20 European championship (the Russian Aleksey Batrakov has 10 goals) ahead of Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona) or Eliesse Ben Seghir (AS Monaco) who only have 5 achievements. A goalscoring defender who is like a fish to water on the Westerlo side. “I’m happy at Westerlo, I think it’s the right step for my career. The coach, Timmy Simons, is helping me a lot by keeping me in the starting lineup and giving me playing time, which is the most important thing for me at the moment“, he declared in an interview for Sportske Novosti.
Josko Gvardiol can’t wait to play with him
However, he still sees a weakness that he must erase fairly quickly: “In my game, I am satisfied with everything except one thing: speed. I work every day to compensate for it.» From now on his objective is to win with Tottenham but also to discover the Croatian selection. An international hopeful, he helped his team qualify for the U21 Euro which will take place this summer. However, it is on the A side that he intends to evolve. Star of Manchester City and the Croatian selection, Josko Gvardiol even declared in March 2024 that he was waiting to play with him: “I don’t need to say much. He has everything it takes to become one of the best defenders in the world. I would love to play together one day.»
Dubbed by the national reference, the 1m93 defender knows in any case that coach Zlatko Dalic is thinking of him. The latter, who relied on a three-way defense in the last rallies, has also publicly admitted that Luka Vušković is destined to bring competition to the team in the long term: “as you saw, young defenders like Vušković and Prpić are coming. We have options in the youth team. We will continue to play with three defenders.» Predestined for great things, Luka Vušković seems to be the goose that lays the golden eggs for Tottenham who are impatiently awaiting him.
