Liverpool has held internal talks over the signing of a highly-rated Tottenham defender.
Tottenham Hotspur’s uncertain league position is beginning to attract interest in their players from rivals and European clubs.
Spurs’ crisis deepened after the 3-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest last weekend. They are on a full-on relegation scrap, finding themselves just a point above the drop zone. Should the unthinkable happen and Spurs go down, several players will leave the club to further their careers.
While there are a few that many of Tottenham’s supporters won’t mind seeing off, there is also a group where losing either some or all of them would leave them livid. One of those will certainly be Luka Vuskovic.
Liverpool enter race for Luka Vuskovic
Luka Vuskovic has impressed during his spell at HSV Hamburg, emerging as one of the standout players in the Bundesliga this season. The central defender’s stock has skyrocketed in recent months, and the teenager has shown no signs of slowing down. However, the lanky Croat’s displays have surprisingly gone unnoticed across Europe.
Barcelona have been keeping close tabs on the youngster’s development at HSV Hamburg, with Hansi Flick keen on signing a new centre-back. Bundesliga duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also showing interest in the teenage prodigy ahead of the summer transfer window. Now, there is a new entrant in the race for his signature.
According to German outlet Sport BILD (h/t Sport Witness), Liverpool have entered the mix to sign Vuskovic. They have held internal discussions over the Tottenham talent as they view him as a ready-made replacement for Real Madrid-bound Ibrahima Konate.
Konate’s contract at Anfield expires in the summer, and there has been no concrete movement in terms of an extension. As things stand, the Frenchman is heading out of Liverpool on a free transfer, which immediately opens up a starting slot in defence. And the Reds view Vuskovic as the ideal profile to succeed the experienced Konate at the heart of their backline next season, although they face competition from several elite European clubs.
Vuskovic’s stock continues to grow
Vuskovic’s suitors across the continent, including Liverpool, will hope he will be open to a permanent move should Tottenham be relegated. His market value is already around €60m, and is the second-most valuable player at the club, as the Merseysiders look to test Tottenham’s resolve. That figure could rise if the 19-year-old impresses at this summer’s World Cup.
Speculation regarding the Split-born starlet’s future remains intense, but the centre-back has started his focus remains on finishing the season with Hamburg strongly. Liverpool are quietly manoeuvring behind the scenes, and their strong financial position gives them an advantage over the likes of Barcelona and Bayern to sign Vuskovic.
However, unless and until the season concludes, Tottenham are highly unlikely to make any decision on the future of Vuskovic. One thing is for sure- the Hotspur Way chiefs will face an uphill task to keep hold of the highly-rated Croatian international.