Teenage defender Luka Vuskovic impressed on his Tottenham debut with an assist and goal against Reading
There has been a lot of buzz and excitement around Luka Vuskovic since he officially arrived at Tottenham Hotspur at the start of July.
The towering centre-back signed for Spurs in September 2023 from Hajduk Split, but was only allowed to join up with our club this summer after turning 18 years old due to post-Brexit rules and regulations. He spent six months on loan in Poland with Radomiak Radom, before enjoying a very successful year with Belgian outfit KVC Westerlo last season.
Luka Vuskovic impressed on his debut for Tottenham during the summer’s first pre-season friendly against Reading last weekend, both assisting and scoring in the 2-0 victory. As a result, new coach Thomas Frank has a big decision to make on the Croatian defender’s future.
Luka Vuskovic draws comparisons with Arsenal’s Gabriel
Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven have been Spurs’ first-choice centre-back pairing over the last two years. However, with both enduring injury-curtailed 2024/25 campaigns, and Vuskovic catching the eye with his dominating display against Reading, Romero and Van de Ven are not guaranteed starters at the back under Thomas Frank.
Therefore, reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham has backed Vuskovic to replace either Romero or Van de Ven in Frank’s starting XI at some point in the next 12 months. Due to his set-piece prowess, Wenham also compared the teenager to Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and why he can be a “massive danger” for Tottenham going forward.
“I would say within the next 12 months, Vuskovic will be our starting centre back,” Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“He’s just a menace. The way that Gabriel Magalhaes for Arsenal is such a danger from those set pieces, Vuskovic is the same. He showed it last year in Belgium, and he’s already doing it for Tottenham.
“He is a massive danger going forward. Also, against Reading, the way he was barking out instructions at the likes of Guglielmo Vicario, van de Ven, players with far more experience than him, it shows he’s got a real authority about him.
“He’s composed, he’s calm, there was no panicking, he’s a natural leader, and he looks like a phenomenal signing, and I honestly think within this season, he will replace one of our two centre-backs.”
Will Thomas Frank keep Luka Vuskovic in his squad?
Vuskovic was a massive threat from set-pieces at Westerlo, where he managed to score seven goals from centre-back. And he gave a glimpse of the threat he could bring to Tottenham with his assist and goal in the 2-0 win over Reading last weekend, leading to comparisons with Arsenal’s Gabriel.
An Arsenal side that is undoubtedly the best in set-pieces in the Premier League over the last two seasons, Gabriel has proven himself to be the biggest danger in the box. So, drawing early comparisons with a quality Premier League defender due to similar set-piece prowess is a big compliment to Vuskovic.
Newly-promoted Bundesliga side Hamburg SV are eyeing a loan move for Vuskovic, but a final decision on his immediate future lies with Frank. If the 51-year-old tactician feels the Croatia international is ready to challenge the experienced centre-backs and well-equipped to handle the hustle and bustle of Premier League football, he will be kept in his squad.