Tottenham: Luka Vuskovic the man to lead Roberto De Zerbi rebuild, Hamburg comments prove why
Tottenham Hotspur defender Luka Vuskovic has enjoyed an excellent loan spell in the Bundesliga.
After officially joining Spurs last summer, the Croatian defender moved to Hamburg on loan as the club returned to the top flight for the first time since their historic 2018 relegation.
Following in the footsteps of his brother Mario Vuskovic, currently serving a doping ban, the youngster quickly became a fan favourite at the Volksparkstadion.
It has been a dismal season for parent club Tottenham, who have been dragged into a relegation battle after poor spells under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.
With Roberto De Zerbi trying to steer the club to safety, a rebuild is expected this summer, and young defender Vuskovic should be central to it.
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Luka Vuskovic says goodbye to Hamburg fans after sensational loan spell
Joining the club amid so much hype, it could not have been predicted just how much Vuskovic has stepped up this term.
The Red Shorts have achieved Bundesliga safety, and Sundayâs win over Freiburg sealed a finish above arch-rivals Werder Bremen.
At just 19, Vuskovic has become talismanic, his 79 touches against Freiburg the most of any player and a clear sign of Merlin Polzinâs trust.
He opened the scoring with a free-kick to notch his sixth league goal of the season, an increasingly vital part of HSVâs survival push.
Given the chance to say goodbye to the home faithful in the clubâs final home game of the season, the Croatian was emotional.
Speaking to DAZN after the win, Vuskovic admitted his love for Hamburg, saying: âI love this club a bit too much.â
The defender is adored at the club, who are still eagerly awaiting the return of brother Mario.
With this in mind, the talk earlier in the season was that Vuskovicâs spell in the Hanseatic City could be extended for another year, though his continued form has all but brought an end to that notion.
And with a return to Tottenham on the cards, he is the exact character who should be at the heart of the coming rebuild in North London.
Tottenham have a gem in Vuskovic
For years, one of the biggest criticisms of Tottenham has been the character â or rather the lack of it â on the pitch.
This season, many within the squad have come under fire, including defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, both of whom could leave this summer.
Vuskovic is not just a fantastic centre-back with sky-high potential; he is also a superb character.
Since the first day of his loan spell, he has embraced the club, its culture and its fanbase.
Leading by example at such a young age, and at such a big club, the Croatian has become the beating heart of the former European champions.
Alongside the pending returns of Will Lankshear and Mikey Moore in particular, Tottenham have a core of youngsters to build around, with Vuskovic central to it all.
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