Tottenham Hotspur are close to completing the signing of 16-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic from Croatian side Hadjuk Split in a deal worth around £12m ($15m).
Spurs have fended off interest from other European clubs to secure the highly-rated Croatian’s signature. Vuskovic, though, is not allowed to join the Premier League side until
he turns 18 — in 2025.
Vuskovic, born in February 2007, has already made 11 appearances for Hadjuk Split’s first team, becoming their youngest-ever scorer when he netted his first goal for the club in a cup match in March. He has been capped at youth level for Croatia up to under-17s.
Vuskovic has not made an appearance for Hadjuk Split yet this season and has not been included in their matchday squads for the last four league games.
Tottenham have begun the season in strong form and are second in the table having won three of their opening four Premier League games.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are next in action against Sheffield United on Saturday before taking on north London rivals Arsenal on September 24.
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Analysis from the Athletic’s Tottenham Hotspur reporter Tim Spiers
Spurs ran riot in what was a different type of performance to their previous three games. There were far fewer overloads, they had their smallest share of possession under Postecoglou (54 per cent) and mostly threatened on transitions; the kind of match new signing Brennan Johnson would have enjoyed.
The plan was, therefore, less reliant on a No 9, like Richarlison, to try and hold the ball up and link play, or sniff around the six-yard box waiting for crosses. They put over just four open-play crosses, again their lowest under Postecoglou (compared to 15 away to Brentford on the opening weekend).
It showed another string to the bow of a team that is learning quickly.