Liverpool in talks for £52m Tottenham defender as Chelsea join transfer race | Football

Liverpool have reportedly held internal discussions over a possible move for Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic ahead of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham reached a £12million agreement with Croatian outfit Hajduk Split for Vuskovic back in 2023, a deal that saw the youngster join up with Spurs last summer.

The 19-year-old hit the ground running in a Spurs shirt, scoring and providing an assist in his unofficial debut during a pre-season friendly with Reading.

And while Tottenham were keen to keep hold of Vuskovic this season, the player himself requested a loan move in order to secure regular first-team minutes so as not to hamper his development.

This saw Vuskovic complete a temporary switch to Hamburg, where he joined his brother Mario, and the teenager has been nothing short of a revelation at the heart of Merlin Polzin’s defence in recent months.

Vuskovic has started all but three of Hamburg’s games in the Bundesliga this term, earning rave reviews in Germany with his assured performances alongside Jordan Torunarigha.

This month, he was rewarded with a place among the nominees for the Rookie of the Month award in the Bundesliga.

But off the pitch, Vuskovic’s future appears uncertain and there is mounting speculation that the Croatia international could be set to leave Tottenham without playing a senior competitive game for the north London club.

According to Bild, Barcelona have Vuskovic ‘in their sights’ as they scour the market for a tall, ball-playing defender. His agent Pini Zahavi is said to have a good relationship with Barca president Joan Laporta and both Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski have spoken with the centre-back.

Real Madrid are another European giant circling for Vuskovic having previously explored a bid for the 6 ft 4 in centre-half when he was a youth player, before his move to Spurs.

However, with Bernebeu bosses also eyeing Ibrahima Konate, it’s claimed Liverpool have identified Vuskovic as a potential replacement for the France international in the summer.

The report stresses that Liverpool are serious about Vuskovic is the teen’s name is ‘being discussed’ by the key decision-makers on Merseyside.

The Reds aren’t the only Premier League team mulling over a move for Vuskovic, though, with Chelsea also credited with a strong interest.

Vuskovic currently has a market value of around €60million (£52m) which could rise further should he enjoy a strong campaign with Croatia at this year’s World Cup.

Whether or not Tottenham manage to avoid relegation is likely to be a significant determining factor when the time comes for Vuskovic to make a decision on his next steps at the end of the season.

In an interview with Tportal last month, Vuskovic admitted he was in the dark about his future – but talked up the possibility of extending his stay with Hamburg beyond the summer.

‘I don’t know what will happen, we’ll talk about that in the summer,’ he told the Croatian outlet.

‘Tottenham is also being talked about because I’m their player until 2030.

‘So, after the World Cup, we’ll see what will happen and how to proceed. As for me, I wouldn’t mind staying at Hamburg, in fact.

‘Mario (his brother, who is currently sidelined due to a doping suspension) should start playing in the autumn, so I’d get the chance to play with him, which is my biggest wish at the moment.

‘You know how football is, you never know what will happen.’

Vuskovic has maintained close contact with various people at Spurs during his loan spell in Germany, explaining: ‘I talk to their scouting chief, nutritionist and physiotherapist a lot.

‘When I was there for two months, they saw that I was a professional and that they didn’t have to watch me every step of the way.

‘They trust me with my diet, training and everything, and that means a lot to me.

Asked if he felt ready to test himself in the Premier League next season, Vuskovic replied: ‘The Bundesliga is also a very difficult league.

‘It’s hard for me to say about the Premier League now, but I tell you, I’m not thinking too much about it or stressing myself out.

‘Let’s do this season properly, and then we’ll see in the summer what happens next.’

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