Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic will not be available to feature for Hamburg this weekend in their Bundesliga clash at Stuttgart
Hamburg boss Merlin Polzin has confirmed Tottenham loanee Luka Vuskovic has picked up a knee issue.
The Croatia international has been a key figure for HSV since moving on loan to Germany at the start of the season.
However, he is set to sit out of this weekend's trip to Stuttgart due to what's been described as 'knee contusion'.
There is good news for Spurs though as the problem is not though to be serious and there's hope he could be ready to return against Werder Bremen on April 18.
Polzin said during a press conference on Friday: "Luka has a bruised knee and will therefore miss the upcoming match.
"He's doing everything he can to take care of himself and be ready to play. But he's not available, so it's about preparing the other guys well and giving them the confidence they need to perform well."
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Vuskovic is set for a well-earned rest after also featuring twice for Croatia during their recent international friendlies in the United States against Colombia and Brazil.
The 19-year-old centre-back scored in the 2-1 triumph over Colombia and is now pushing to secure a starting berth for his country at this summer's World Cup finals.
Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic has already confirmed Vuskovic will be part of his squad while Tottenham are expected to make a decision on the player's future following the tournament.
The teenager recently confirmed he expects to head back to Spurs this summer for pre-season despite widespread transfer interest in his signature.
He told German media: "After this season, I’ll be a Tottenham player again. I have a contract there until 2030."
Barcelona are monitoring Vuskovic, though you would expect new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi to cast an eye over the Croat during pre-season given he has excelled in the Bundesliga with HSV this season.
Vuskovic has already said on record that he'd be interested in returning to Hamburg on loan for another season if the Europa League winners cannot provide him with assurances over minutes.
His brother Mario is due to return from a doping ban later in the year and re-signing on loan would offer Vuskovic the chance to play alongside his sibling at club level.