Tottenham will have some tough decisions to make in the off-season.
Tottenham Hotspur have had a horrific campaign so far and currently sit just one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League, ahead of welcoming Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon. After elimination from the Champions League in midweek, all Spurs have got now is to preserve their top-flight status for next season.
The N17 chiefs will have some big decisions to make in the summer. Fear of relegation from the Premier League has sparked major question marks about the future of several first-team players, with several European clubs circling for potential bargains if the Lilywhites do end up in the Championship, and that includes players who are currently on loan.
Luka Vuskovic has excelled on loan at SV Hamburger in the Bundesliga this season. He has established himself as one of the first names on SV Hamburger’s teamsheet under Merlin Polzin, netting five times in 23 Bundesliga outings thus far. The big Croat has quickly become one of the hottest defensive prospects across Europe, putting several clubs on red alert.
Tottenham urged to offload one of their senior defenders to make room for Luka Vuskovic in the squad next season
Luka Vuskovic has been shining in his debut season in the Bundesliga, displaying a mix of technical skills and physicality. This has led to plenty of Tottenham fans expressing concerns that the centre-back could leave the North London club without even playing a competitive game, despite having a deal that runs until 2030.
The Hotspur Way chiefs rate the Croatian talent very highly and will be raring to keep at bay any potential interest in him during the summer transfer window. Now, reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhites Rose owner John Wenham has urged Tottenham to move on one of Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven in the summer to assure Vuskovic has a future at White Hart Lane.
“Vuskovic will, if Tottenham can stay in the Premier League, become a part of the first team next year, I’m sure of it,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“He’s got a contract till 2030, as many of these players that are talking about going, it’ll be down to Tottenham at the end of the day, not these players.
“I just can’t see how he goes, he might be wanted by all of Europe and all this kind of stuff, but I think Tottenham will have control of the situation.
“He’s so good, and the potential is so high that, actually, you may consider selling one of Romero or van der Ven to accommodate a starting space for Vuskovic from next season.
“I think the time is right for one of them to move on, not both. I think that would weaken us drastically, but one might have to be sold in order to facilitate, you know, Vuskovic having this platform to play.
“And I think that would really show his agent and the club that there is a pathway being made for him.”
Tottenham will have some decisions to make in the summer
Tottenham’s status at the end of the season is going to play a significant role in dictating the future of several players. If the unthinkable happens, stars like Romero and Van de Ven will certainly end up leaving the club. Should they stay up, though, there will still be high chances of the duo departing in the summer due to a lack of European football next term.
Vuskovic isn’t of the same stature as Romero and Van de Ven, but he is currently one of the most talked-about young centre-backs in world football. Fans are not surprised that the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich are keen on the teenager’s services. His market value has shot up to €60m, and is now only second behind Van de Ven in the most valuable Tottenham players (€65m).
However, if the club goes down, it is highly unlikely Vuskovic will stick around in N17. The Split-born talent’s stocks are high, and if our club feels there is a genuine future superstar in Vuskovic, then they may have to sacrifice one of Romero or Van de Ven to make space for him in the squad. And this will only be possible if the Lilywhites are a Premier League club and come up with an exciting project under the new permanent boss.