Brighton have agreed a deal that could be worth up to £50million for Tottenham Hotspur defender Luka Vuskovic, who has never played for Spurs.
The 19-year-old joined Spurs from Hajduk Split in the summer of 2025 but moved to Hamburg on loan for last season.
The centre-back impressed for the German club over 30 appearances in all competitions and has earned a place in the Croatia team.
The teenager became the youngest player to turn out for Croatia in a World Cup when he faced England in the opening group stage game in America.
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A defender with a bright future, but it will be at Brighton and not Spurs after Tottenham accepted a bid worth an initial £46m, with £4m in add-ons.
It is a remarkable deal for a player that Tottenham only spent around £12m on and has never played for the club.
Spurs will also have a 20 per cent sell-on clause and matching rights for any future move for the Croatian.
The signing is a coup for Brighton, given that the Daily Mail reported that both Bayern Munich and Barcelona were interested in Vuskovic.
The Seagulls made an initial bid of £30m but it was turned down before their significantly improved offer.
They have spent slightly less on Vuskovic than they have sold Jan Paul van Hecke for this summer, with the Dutchman going to Spurs for £52m.
Brighton have also signed another centre-back this week, bringing in Pascal Struijk from Leeds for £20m.
The teenager received high praise from Hamburg boss Merlin Polzin during his spell in the Bundesliga, with his leadership at such a young age picked out as a strength.
‘What truly sets Luka apart is his incredible will to win,’ said Polzin. ‘He always wants to improve. His attitude towards being a professional footballer is top-notch.
‘I’ve only had the privilege of working with a handful of players who have such a mindset.’
‘I don’t want to limit him,’ said Polzin, in an interview with Hamburg’s website in May. ‘When you have such a leadership role at 19 and your career takes off like this, I believe he’s capable of anything.’
Vuskovic has also proved to be a goal threat from the back, scoring six Bundesliga goals last season and seven league goals during his season in Belgium with Westerlo in 2024/25.