Football London

Djed Spence stance on Tottenham transfer as approach made to sign England World Cup star  Football London

The long-serving Tottenham Hotspur captain has been speaking about his former managers at the north London club and what went wrong

Hugo Lloris admits "something went wrong" with Antonio Conte's "really robotic" football at Tottenham and has expressed his sadness at Dele Alli's fall from Premier League life.

The Frenchman played 447 times for Spurs across 11-and-a-half years at the club before departing for a new chapter in his career across the Atlantic in the USA as the goalkeeper for LAFC. The World Cup winner reflected on more than a decade of ups and downs at Tottenham among other subjects in a new interview for the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.

Ex-Spurs skipper Lloris enjoyed his best times under Mauricio Pochettino as the north London club challenged twice for the Premier League title and reached a first ever Champions League final.

"I was part of the evolution of the club when I witnessed the big change. When I arrived and when I left, the club was at a different level. Not only with the stadium and the training facilities, which are probably one of the best in the world," said the 39-year-old.

"But also on the field. The only problem, we could not transfer this on the pitch by winning trophies. We had four or five very good years, especially under Pochettino. But we were at some point really close to the trophy, but also really far. It’s hard to explain."

He added: "I think at that time, the club was, especially financially, they were focused on the new stadium. And I think the team was growing too fast.

"When Pochettino arrived, after two years we were already in the top four. And then after three years, we were out of the group stage of the Champions League, finishing above Real Madrid and Dortmund. But we managed to go to the Champions League final. Yes, it was the moment to invest. And it was the moment probably to refresh also this group of players, because we spent four or five years together building something special without really spending on the market.

"So we had a really good starting eleven. We played attractive football, but probably we had a lack of depth on the bench and in the squad. And we had to deal with the Chelsea of Abramovich, the Liverpool of Jürgen Klopp, the Manchester City of Pep Guardiola. So it’s about details at this level.

"I think we missed, probably as a club, an opportunity. But it was probably easier to change the coach than to change four or five players to refresh. But then we alternated up and down, and I think we never came back to that level, especially in terms of consistency in results."

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Pochettino paid the price for the slump with his job just six months after that Champions League final defeat to Liverpool in Madrid and in came Jose Mourinho.

"It’s funny because when he introduced himself, it was like 'If I’m here, it’s because of you'. Obviously, the club sacked Mauricio and they decided to appoint José and he came with a lot of energy and with his knowledge of the game," he said.

"I think it was a really interesting time. Even with Antonio Conte, I was in a different stage of my career, but I put myself in the position of a young player. It’s amazing to work with those types of coaches because the demand is really high every day. And that’s how you make yourself better. If you want to succeed, if you want to develop yourself, you have to follow the way. Otherwise, it would be complicated."

Lloris admits that Conte's style worked initially but things went wrong when the Tottenham players returned from the mid-season World Cup in Qatar.

"Different style of play, different way to manage a group of players. He’s more of a coach than a manager. He’s a great coach. I don’t have to say it, because you just have to see his CV. But it worked quite well the first six months," said the goalkeeper. "Then we had this World Cup in the middle of the season. So I think it was not easy to deal with.

"It was OK until the World Cup and then when we came back, I don’t know, it didn’t work at all. It’s like everything became really heavy and it was really demanding, really intense. His style of play, it’s really robotic as well.

"I truly believe that you still need this human side in the changing room. And you cannot have a separation between a coach and the players. Also, the team could not find a consistent rhythm in terms of performance and results. And myself, when I came back from the World Cup, I was completely drained. I had only four or five days off and I had to go back inside. I felt a really heavy atmosphere. So something went wrong."

Lloris also had his say on the decline of Dele Alli with the midfielder, one of the best young talents in Europe, having dropped out of the reckoning at Spurs and since struggling to get game time at a string of clubs around the world.

"It’s sad. It’s really sad. It hurts. I really like Dele and it was hard to predict. He was so talented and he started his career at Spurs so well, even with the national team jersey," said the former Spurs skipper. "But that’s more... It’s not only for Dele, but it’s almost the message to address to young players. You cannot lose the focus on football.

"Today, it’s really easy to get distracted by everything around and then you misunderstand what is the reality. The reality is what is happening on the field every day. That’s your job.

"The rest, yes, of course, you can develop a lot of things around football. And I think, talking with a lot of ex-players or even current players, I don’t think there is any secret: hard work, dedication to football, passion for football, and make yourself ready to compete because football demands a lot."

Pedro Porro helped Spain beat France in the World Cup semi-final

Much has been said about Tottenham's transfer business this summer, with £237million being splashed out on bringing Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke to north London.

Spurs have also been smart by securing the free transfers of Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka - with Roberto De Zerbi identifying the backline and midfield as areas to improve.

And another huge decision made by the manager and the club's hierarchy was to tie Pedro Porro down to a new deal.

The timing was important too, with the right-back's bumper new long-term contract announced a day before Spain's World Cup opener with Cape Verde.

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The European champions were held to a shock goalless draw in that match but have bounced back to reach the World Cup final, beating France 2-0 in Tuesday night's semi-final.

And Porro has played a starring role in Spain's journey to the showpiece final, scoring the second goal against Les Bleus to show his attacking abilities.

And Spurs will be delighted that they have tied their defender down to a new deal, with Real Madrid and former club Manchester City previously keeping tabs on his situation.

It's another masterstroke from Spurs in what has been a hugely-impressive summer in terms of the business they have already done.

De Zerbi is quite clearly a huge fan of the 26-year-old - and praised his technical quality and mentality following the announcement of his new deal this summer.

De Zerbi said: "Pedro is a very important player for us, who has consistently shown his ability to influence matches in both defensive and attacking situations.

"As well as his technical quality, I also love his mentality. Every day he wants to work, to learn and to improve, and these are the characteristics that help players reach the highest level.

"He understands football in a very intelligent way, and brings energy, intensity and personality to the team. This new contract is good news for everyone at the club. We believe in Pedro, and I am excited to continue working with him and helping him achieve even more in the coming years."

Spurs made Porro's future a priority and retaining his services is a huge boost as the club look to kick on after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

Sporting director Johan Lange, speaking last month, added: "Securing Pedro's future was an important priority for us this summer. During the past three-and-half years, he has made huge progress to become one of the best full-backs in the game, and the fact he is about to play in the World Cup for Spain is testament to that.

"Pedro is at an age where he can provide leadership and experience, while still having room for further development. His character, work ethic and quality are exactly what we look for when building a squad capable of competing at the highest level and we are delighted that he has chosen to continue his journey with the club."

Here's every single one of the arrivals and exits confirmed by Tottenham Hotspur during a remarkably busy summer transfer window

Tottenham have splashed out £237million already in the transfer window and recouped £86million in sales during a frantic start to the summer.

Spurs have ever spent more so far in the early weeks of the summer than in the entirety of any previous transfer window and there is more to come from the north London outfit. Roberto De Zerbi wants further quality added to his squad while also trimming the numbers for a campaign without European football and its additional fixtures.

It has been a summer in which Tottenham smashed their transfer record twice and entered the exclusive club of signing a £100million player. They also sealed the fourth highest sale in their history as well while also selling the youngest ever goalscorer in the history of the Lilywhites heading out of the doors of the club.

Tottenham's sporting director Johan Lange and CEO Vinai Venkatesham have been busy trying to secure De Zerbi's transfer targets along with new director of football operations Rafi Moersen.

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football.london has taken a closer look at all the 25 transfers completed by the trio fir Tottenham's men teams so far this summer:

Tottenham transfers (In)

Andy Robertson (Liverpool) - Free

Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth) - Free

Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton) - £52million

Martin Dubravka (Burnley) - Free

Mateus Fernandes (West Ham) - £85million

Sandro Tonali (Newcastle) - £92.5million + £7.5million in potential add-ons

Cole Ramsey (Aston Villa) - Free

Tottenham transfers (Out)

Luka Vuskovic (Brighton) - £46million with £4million in add-ons

Radu Dragusin (Fiorentina) - Loan with £21.4million obligation to buy

Alfie Devine (Preston) - £6million

Alejo Veliz (Bahia) - £7.8million

Yves Bissouma - End of contract

Randal Kolo Muani - End of loan contract

Joao Palhinha - End of loan contract

Luca Gunter (Boreham Wood) - Loan

Pele Arganese-McDermott (Crawley Town) - Free move just before end of contract

Tyrell Ashcroft - End of contract

Leo Black - End of contract

Dante Cassanova - End of contract

Matthew Craig - End of contract

Calum Logan - End of contract

Leon Myrtaj (Debreceni VSC) - Free move just before end of contract

Elijah Upson - End of contract

Jamel Beggs - End of contract

Samal Bangura - End of contract

One of Tottenham's first team stars has been missing from pre-season training so far at Hotspur Way but there is a simple explanation for it

Eagle-eyed Tottenham supporters might have noticed one first team player not involved at the World Cup is yet to appear in pre-season footage or imagery.

Spurs' players not involved in that tournament across the Atlantic returned to work at Hotspur Way on Friday for physical testing and then got to work on the grass from Monday onwards as head coach Roberto De Zerbi watched on. A large group of 23 Spurs players were back including £85million signing Mateus Fernandes, although his fellow £100million new arrival Sandro Tonali has been awaiting his work permit after his move from Newcastle.

The other returning players included another new signing in Martin Dubravka as well as Archie Gray, James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Destiny Udogie, Antonin Kinsky, Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Brandon Austin, Dane Scarlett, Mikey Moore, Jamie Donley, Manor Solomon, Kota Takai, Yang Min-hyeok and Ashley Phillips.

Also back in the gym were injured duo Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus as well as Wilson Odobert, who will be out until the end of this year with his ACL injury.

However, one first team player missing from the returning group was Souza and football.london understands that's because the young Brazilian has been ill in recent days.

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The left-back, who turned 20 last month and has been dubbed 'the new Marcelo' back home in Brazil, played four matches for Spurs last season after his £13million move from Santos in January.

He made two starts under caretaker boss Igor Tudor as a right winger in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool in March after being sacrificed as the left wing-back following Micky van de Ven's first half red card against Crystal Palace in the previous Premier League game.

The Brazilian is likely to get a loan move this summer thanks to Andy Robertson's arrival as a free agent, adding to the left-back department with Destiny Udogie, along with Djed Spence being able to play on the left.

When Souza signed in January, then Spurs head coach Thomas Frank said the club have high hopes for the young full-back.

"He is a talented, promising young full-back, who is forward-thinking and technically very good," said the Dane. "I’m looking forward to working with him and helping developing that potential, as we believe we have bought one of the brightest left-back talents in the world, who can give us something now but also for the future."

The Tottenham Hotspur head coach will run the rule over various youngsters this summer and help decide their next steps

Tottenham have been busy in the transfer market with £237million spent and six new first-team players arriving but that has a knock-on effect for the club's youngsters.

There is no doubting that Spurs required an influx of quality this summer after back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, but care must be taken that their present is not improved at the expense of their future. The absence of European football this season means Tottenham have fewer concerns about the homegrown issues and foreign player overloading that caused them problems in previous campaign.

However, if they intend to return to continental competition in future seasons that that will have to be fixed with either academy players coming through or youngsters signed and developed, otherwise they will continue to struggle to register players in the 25-man squad.

Roberto De Zerbi will give his assessment, with the help of first team transition coach Stuart Lewis and U21s boss Wayne Burnett among others, on the crop of young players between 17 and 21. The decision has already been made on Luka Vuskovic, who has joined Brighton in a £50million deal, while Alfie Devine has left for Preston after they took up the £6million option in the midfielder's loan deal.

We're going to take a look at 11 of those young players, but we're not including established first teamers such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mathys Tel, who De Zerbi will already know well, or Dane Scarlett, who is now older than 21.

Let's start with the current Scottish Premiership Young Player of the Year:

Mikey Moore

football.london have previously reported that Tottenham have made it clear that Mikey Moore will not be for sale this summer and that's because the 18-year-old enjoyed a big season of development at Rangers and they have high hopes for him.

De Zerbi wants to take a look at the teenager who won the aforementioned Scottish Premiership Young Player of the Year and Rangers' Young Player of the Year awards. Moore enjoyed a big campaign that brought Old Firm Derby goals and 47 matches in total for the Glasgow giants across the season, with 11 goal involvements despite his age.

There's a huge amount of interest in the teenager from clubs both home and abroad and they are awaiting De Zerbi's decision on the attacker, who played off the left for much of his year in Glasgow.

Souza

Signed in January, Souza, who turned 20 last month, has been adapting to a new country, a new life and a very different league over the past six months. Dubbed 'the new Marcelo' back home in Brazil, the Santos fans were sad to see the left-back depart after helping them in their relegation battle to instead help Tottenham in theirs.

Souza would play just four matches for Spurs last season though across 144 minutes, his two starts coming as a right winger in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool in March after being sacrificed as the left wing-back after Micky van de Ven's first half red card against Crystal Palace in the previous Premier League game.

Former Tottenham boss Thomas Frank called Souza "one of the brightest left-back talents in the world" when he signed.

Andy Robertson's arrival though this summer to add to Destiny Udogie, along with Djed Spence being able to play on the left, means Souza is likely to be allowed to head out on loan next season to ensure he gets regular football to continue his development.

De Zerbi will make the final decision on that. You might have noticed the young Brazilian has not appeared in any pre-season footage yet and football.london understands that's because Souza has been ill in recent days.

Will Lankshear

football.london reported on Monday that Sporting, Wolves and Southampton have all had approaches to sign Will Lankshear from Tottenham turned down in recent days.

The 21-year-old starred in his first loan spell last season despite Oxford United's relegation from the Championship. Lankshear netted 12 goals for the strugglers which earned him their men's golden boot and Young Player of the Year award. In all he played 47 matches with 16 goal involvements to build on the previous season's breakthrough at Spurs in which he scored in the Europa League and made three Premier League appearances.

Such is the interest from sides in Lankshear that football.london understands the Portuguese giants Sporting and the two Championship clubs made approaches about potential offers in the eight-figure package range that involved either a straight permanent transfer for the forward or a loan move with an obligation to buy, and all of them were turned down by Spurs.

Lankshear has now returned to pre-season work at Hotspur Way, bulked up by the physical demands of the Championship. De Zerbi will get his first glance at him on the training pitches this week and a decision may be made on what comes next for him before the club's summer tour, which the squad will fly off to later next week to New Zealand and Australia.

Mason Melia

Mason Melia has enjoyed a positive couple of months. First the 18-year-old got back from the back problem and chest infection that delayed his start to life at Spurs after arriving in January. He then made his first two Republic of Ireland senior appearances after the season ended.

The teenage former St Pat's striker's next steps could be tied into what happens with Lankshear. It would seem unlikely that De Zerbi would take both on the tour along with Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel and if one heads off on loan or is sold in Lankshear's case then the other could be kept at the club this season as a homegrown option to learn from the older stars.

Jamie Donley

Jamie Donley had a tougher season this time around after his previous eye-catching exploits at Leyton Orient as he found minutes hard to come by at Stoke in the Championship and then picked up a freak injury on his Oxford debut before playing a part in the run-in for them.

The 21-year-old Northern Ireland international has plenty of talent in that left foot though and often plays a big part in Spurs pre-season thanks to his versatility, engine and ability on the ball. Donley has been involved with the first team in recent days even if another loan move beckons but he could impress De Zerbi, as a fellow number 10, if he hits the ground running in pre-season.

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Yang-min Hyeok

Yang Min-hyeok has only been at Spurs for 18 months but has already been out on three different loans in the Championship.

The 20-year-old is probably further off playing for Tottenham then he was when he arrived. As Spurs tried to acclimatise him to the English game, his first season brought a loan move to QPR and then in the first half of this last campaign the South Korean headed off to Portsmouth where he made 16 appearances, scoring three goals with one assist.

Then came one of the worst loan moves Tottenham have ever handed one of their young players as the 20-year-old made the switch to high-flying Coventry. Yang was left out of the final 15 league games of the season for Frank Lampard's title winners. Although he now has a promotion to the Premier League on his CV, he got just 29 minutes of football in the Championship for them across three matches.

De Zerbi will take a look at the tricky winger but it seems likely that another loan move will come Yang's way, with four years left on his contract.

Ashley Phillips

Ashley Phillips has been the highest performing forgotten man of the Tottenham defence.

The 20-year-old centre-back impressed once again during his second season with Stoke and was among the nominees for the EFL Championship Young Player of the Season award. He played more minutes in the league than any other player aged 20 or under this season.

In all Phillips got 44 games under his belt for Stoke, earning plenty of plaudits, but it feels like with the queue of centre-backs ahead of him, as with Vuskovic he may never play a competitive game in a Spurs shirt despite only ever impressing.

With two years left on his contract, this summer could be the one when Phillips leaves the club permanently.

Kota Takai

Kota Takai has had a far less impressive time on loan which sums up his experience since making the switch from Japan.

The 21-year-old suffered a foot injury soon after arriving at Spurs last summer and when he returned to fitness months later, he was sent out on loan to Borussia Monchengladbach. Unfortunately the centre-back struggled for game time and then picked up a muscle strain which meant he ultimately made just three starts for the German side and played only four minutes of football from the end of February onwards.

The Japan international is likely to give De Zerbi a reasonably simple decision to make as the club need to get him out on loan again with regular minutes somewhere to help develop him.

Callum Olusesi

Callum Olusesi had a season to remember as he made his Premier League and Champions League debuts against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid respectively.

The 19-year-old did not look out of place either in either cameo display under caretaker boss Igor Tudor and will head into pre-season full of confidence.

The midfielder, who made his senior debut in the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou in the previous campaign, was being chased by Italian side Torino at points during last season and with the number of players in his position in Spurs' first team a move this summer looks likely.

Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun'ai Byfield

We're grouping these two together because at 17-years-old, it's too early for either to head out on a standard loan. However, they will both be looking to impress De Zerbi during pre-season for a good reason.

That's because if the group of young players aged between 18 and 21 depart this summer on loan or permanently then Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun'ai Byfield could become the go-to homegrown players when De Zerbi looks to the academy for cover or minutes in the Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

Both players enjoyed positive senior debuts last season before each succumbing to injury in the tail end of the season. Williams-Barnett has been spotted already in first team pre-season footage.

A former Tottenham Hotspur captain has spoken out about the difference between Spurs now under Roberto De Zerbi than when Mauricio Pochettino was in charge at the club

Hugo Lloris believes Tottenham Hotspur are trying to give Roberto De Zerbi the best possible conditions to succeed and describes it as a different time compared to Mauricio Pochettino's time at the club.

Lloris, 39, was made Spurs captain by the Argentinian coach, and more than half of his Tottenham appearances came during their time together. However, the club's approach to the transfer market has shifted drastically since De Zerbi's appointment.

Spurs are doing their business early this summer, and at great expense. That contrasts starkly with Daniel Levy's wage caps and their penchant for delaying deals until deadline day.

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Lloris recalled on Rio Ferdinand Presents : "At the time, the club was financially focusing on the new stadium, and I think the team was growing too fast. When Pochettino arrived, after two years, we were already in the top four.

Then, after three years, we were out of the group stages in the Champions League, finishing ahead of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. We managed to get to the Champions League final.

"It was the moment to invest and refresh this group of players. We spent four or five years together building something special without really spending in the market.

"We had a good starting XI, and we played attractive football, but we probably had a lack of depth on the bench and in the squad. We had to deal with the Chelsea of [Roman] Abramovich, the Liverpool of Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City of Pep Guardiola.

"It's about details at this level, and I think we had an opportunity. It was probably easier to change the coach rather than four or five players. We never came back to that level, especially in terms of consistency.

"Now they are looking forward and are really active in the transfer market, trying to give Roberto De Zerbi the best conditions. Let's see, it's a different time."

The club's new head coach called on the club after confirming their Premier League status for next season to be busy this summer and get their business done early. De Zerbi said in his post-match press conference after their 1-0 win over Everton: "From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team.

"I don't think we have now to change too many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. Good enough. Like players. Especially like people.

"And then we have to complete the squad with the first level of players. First level of players, because we suffered too much ... My target is to start the pre-season with the team I have in my dream."

Spurs have already made several signings and spent well over £200million on transfer fees to acquire Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka also arrived on free transfers, as has Cole Ramsey more recently.

Few players in the modern era of Tottenham Hotspur have split opinion quite like Cristian Romero.

A player who is capable of running games from the back and shutting out the world's elite forwards, and a player who is capable of indiscipline, petulance and self-destruction. The sublime and the ridiculous.

Romero’s ability on the ball, his front-foot aggression and his fight on the pitch have lead to some, including Lionel Messi, to rate him among the best in the world in his position, while his laughable disciplinary record and lapses in concentration are pointed to by those who hold a less favourable view.

It was the former attributes that made Spurs fans fall in love with him immediately when he joined from Atalanta back in 2021. Spurs forked out £42million for the then 23 year old, a hefty outlay for the club, at a time when dropping £100m on a midfielder in the first week of the window would've been a fanciful thought.

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There are many reasons why five years on, Romero, now 28, is still at Tottenham, a club with back to back 17th place finishes in the Premier League. But there are just as many reasons why he has been a stalwart at the back for the world champions for the last five years.

While Spurs fans have backed Romero staunchly over the years, their patience has often been tested and his commitment to the club has been questioned on more than one occasion. Some fans believe he prioritises Argentina over the club who pays his wages, being unavailable in the weeks leading up to international breaks, only to fly to the other side of the world and play 180 minutes for his country will do that.

The Tottenham captain was forced into an embarrassing U-turn just this season when it emerged he was not planning to be in attendance for the club's relegation decider against Everton on the final day, and instead planned to remain in Argentina where he was recuperating from a knee injury.

Romero did return to London, and Tottenham did remain in the Premier League. But it was just another misstep that led to questions over his dedication to his club side.

Romero has missed 100 of Tottenham's 256 matches since joining the club in 2021, just under 40% of Spurs' fixtures in that time, through a combination of injuries and an almost impressive amount of suspensions. But when he has been available, his performances have put him into the conversation alongside the best centre backs to play for the club in the Premier League era.

He has also received a lot of backing from fans for speaking out against the club's hierarchy on multiple occasions, on a lack of activity in the transfer window last summer and on the silence from the decision-makers in January this year during Spurs' shocking run of form that plunged them to the brink of relegation.

Romero called for the hierarchy to speak up following the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth around the turn of the year, posting to Instagram: “At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don’t – as has been ­happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well. They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.”

The defender was spoken to by then-boss Thomas Frank and sporting director Johan Lange for his outburst, but the club, and Romero, knew whose side the fans were on.

However, the Spurs hierarchy aren't the only ones you could accuse of only showing up when things are going well. The Argentine was as culpable as any of his Spurs team-mates for the team's dire form over the course of the season, and one thing that has become clear over his five years at the club, is when the going gets tough, Romero rarely gets going.

When Romero feels things are heading in the right direction, there is a cause to get behind, and competing at the top is a genuine goal, you will see the best of him, and when his attitude is right he is undoubtedly up there with the best around in his position.

His performances in the Europa League run in 2024-25, capped off by his imperious display in the 1-0 win over Manchester United in the final in Bilbao, were extraordinary. And his performances on the world stage for his country for over half a decade have been much the same.

A switched-on and engaged Cristian Romero truly is a force to be reckoned with, it just isn't the Cristian Romero Spurs fans see enough of.

And while the club have more than their fair share of blame to take for that, it is the reason why the supporters might not be as sad to see a player of his quality depart this summer as would ordinarily be the case.

Xavi Simons drops verdict on Tottenham's £235m signings and confirms comeback target  Football London

Luka Vuskovic has officially joined Brighton from Tottenham with his transfer confirmed on Tuesday morning

Tottenham have confirmed the transfer of Luka Vuskovic to Brighton & Hove Albion. During negotiations for Jan Paul van Hecke, the Seagulls made their interest in the Spurs centre-back clear and after several rejected bids, reached an agreement to sign him.

The £50million deal was agreed at the start of July but has only recently been confirmed with Spurs releasing a statement to their official website which read: "We have reached agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion for the transfer of Luka Vuskovic.

"Joining up with the Club in July, 2025, after his transfer from Hajduk Split was agreed in 2023, the Croatia international made his first appearance in our colours in a pre-season fixture against Reading, registering a goal and an assist in a 2-0 victory.

"In the matchday squad for the 2025 UEFA Super Cup and our opening two Premier League fixtures last term, the 19-year-old defender later headed to Germany to join Hamburger SV on loan for the 2025/26 season, where a successful spell saw him make 30 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals.

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"Making his World Cup debut last month against England, he has six senior caps and one goal to his name for the Croatia national team."

"Wishing you all the best for the future, Luka!"

Vuskovic departs north London without making one senior competitive appearance during his three years contracted to the club.

The 19-year-old enjoyed successful loan moves to Polish side Radomiak, boyhood club Hadjuk Split, Belgian outfit Westerlo and finally Bundesliga team Hamburg.

His performances at the latter alerted many top European clubs to his potential and with Spurs targeting Van Hecke after already agreeing to sign Marcos Senesi, his future become a talking point.

As opposed to joining a European heavyweight, Vuskovic had his sights set on Brighton given their superb pathway and knack for developing young talent.

The Lilywhites are set to take in a guaranteed £48m from his sale and have also included a 20 per cent sell-on clause alongside matching rights.

Those funds were quickly used to wrap up a staggering £100m deal for Sandro Tonali with Spurs breaking their transfer record days after signing Mateus Fernandes for £85m.

Martin Dubravka and Andy Robertson have also arrived as free agents with the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Djed Spence up for sale at the right price.

Question marks also remain over the future of club captain Cristian Romero even with no teams currently pursuing the Argentina international.