adminLuka Vuskovic has spoken candidly about Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to sell him and revealed the reasoning behind his move to Brighton.
The Croatian centre-back has made an outstanding start to his Premier League career and looks destined to become one of the best defenders in world football.
His performances would come as no surprise to anyone who followed his three loan spells in Germany, Belgium and Poland, with the defender truly coming into his own at Hamburg last season.
Many pundits have already criticised Spurs for replacing Vuskovic with Jan Paul van Hecke, suggesting Brighton have secured the better player. This looks like one of those sales Tottenham fans will look back on with regret for years to come, and the teenager himself has now opened up on his reason for leaving.
Vuskovic Says Brighton Believed in Him While Tottenham Did Not
According to reports, the Croatian is already on the radar of Bayern Munich and Chelsea following his impressive start at the Amex Stadium.
Vuskovic has now admitted he still does not know why Tottenham did not want him, but shared that Brighton had been tracking him for several years. When asked whether he had proved a point to Spurs, the centre-back told The Argus: “I wouldn’t look at it like that. Tottenham really helped me when I was a teenager. For two years I’ve been with them and the loans and they helped me a lot. I’m really grateful to them. I’m in Brighton now and I feel great. It’s an unbelievable club who believe in me.
“In the end, I don’t know why Tottenham didn’t want me. But Brighton believed in me. Also, a few years back I knew they wanted to sign me. I’m really happy with my choice. It’s really an amazing club with young talent.”
Why Spurs Did Not Make an Error Letting Vuskovic Leave
After finishing 17th twice in a row with a very young squad, one can understand why Tottenham were not in a position to guarantee Vuskovic regular starts.
In fact, De Zerbi made it clear in the summer that no player can be guaranteed starts and everyone has to fight for their place. Even Mateus Fernandes, who the club paid £85m for, has struggled for starts so far.
Had Vuskovic agreed to stay and fight for his place in the team, Tottenham would have likely kept him. The deal was by no means a disaster for Spurs, who not only made a huge profit on the centre-back but are also likely to make even more money in the future, with the Lilywhites retaining a 20 per cent sell-on clause on Vuskovic.
Tottenham Supporters Remain Divided Over Vuskovic Sale
There is certainly an argument that Spurs received a healthy fee for a player who had never featured competitively for the first team. However, supporters have every reason to question whether the club should have found a way to accommodate one of Europe’s most promising young defenders.
In September, SpursWeb asked more than 3,500 supporters whether Tottenham had made a mistake selling Vuskovic and signing Van Hecke. Around 66 per cent believed the club had made the wrong decision, although the poll represents the views of those who chose to respond rather than the entire fanbase.
Vuskovic’s impressive start at Brighton has given those supporters further reason to question the deal, but it is still early in his Premier League career.
Whether Tottenham made the right decision will ultimately depend on how Vuskovic and Van Hecke develop over the coming years. For now, the Croatian is getting the regular football he wanted, while Spurs have received a substantial transfer fee for a player they were not prepared to guarantee a starting place.
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