Daniel Levy reportedly texted Simon Jordan earlier this summer and told him Tottenham Hotspur were “pulling their pants down” over their “swap deal” for Luka Vuskovic and Jan Paul van Hecke.
For some, it was just bitterness following Levy’s sudden exit from N17, but it seems the polarizing businessman may have been on to something.
Indeed, Vuskovic’s form for high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion has come into sharper focus, not least against Coventry City, with Van Hecke having endured several panicky displays in recent weeks.
An assessment of Vuskovic’s start to life at Brighton
It all came together as the Seagulls made a flying start to the new Premier League season and only recently hammered their Amex rivals Crystal Palace to five.
Fabian Hurzeler boasts the league’s most devastating attack, having already scored 23 goals, although the backline is also quietly shining, level with Arsenal for the number of goals conceded (five).
Vusković has certainly been central to this, with the teenage Croatian helping the south coast side keep four clean sheets in their opening seven games, while also scoring once.
A monster in both boxes, the 19-year-old helped Jack Hinshelwood’s goal to make it 5-0 at the weekend, while at the other end he continues to shine, averaging 4.4 aerial tackles along with 6.9 overall tackles this season.
That certainly compares favorably with Dutchman Van Hecke, who averaged just 5.7 and 2.9 for the same two indicators in north London.
The £52m Spurs could prove an inspired signing for Roberto De Zerbi and co, but letting Vuskovic go seems like a truly disastrous decision.
Why will Spurs regret selling Vuskovic?
ENIC gave De Zerbi the keys to the kingdom, and the Vuskovic saga illustrates this better than anything else.
Reunited with Van Hecke, the Italian allowed the youngster to leave for his former club, apparently not guaranteeing game time for the former Hajduk Split star.
A fee of £50m or more for Vuskovic made financial sense given he cost just £12m in 2023, but has not given him the chance to impress the beggars of belief at first-team level.
Spurs record sales | ||
|---|---|---|
Player | Payment (includes extras) | For sale |
Harry Kane | £86.4 million | Bayern Munich |
Gareth Bale | £85.3 million | Real Madrid |
Luka Vuskovic | £50 million | Brighton |
Kyle Walker | £50 million | Man City |
Dimitar Berbatov | 30.75 million pounds | Man Utd |
Christian Romero | 34 million pounds | Atletico Madrid |
Luka Modric | £30 million | Real Madrid |
Steven Bergwijn | 26 million pounds | Ajax |
Jed Spence | £25.6 million | Inter |
Oliver Skipp | 25 million pounds | Leicester |
Indeed, he was on loan at Hamburg last season, scoring six Bundesliga goals before leaving this summer without making any competitive appearances.
Vuskovic, who shone for Westerlo in Belgium in 2024/25, had shown enough to prove he was a true superstar before officially joining Spurs that summer.
Unfortunately, the Lilies will now have to live with their mistake – let’s hope they don’t do anything else.
Why Spurs are risking a Vuskovic repeat with teenage sensation
Despite his pre-season performances under Thomas Frank last summer, Vuskovic was decided to go on loan in 2025, offering the Bundesliga the perfect next step in his career.
With Cristian Romero heading for an imminent exit at the end of the 2025/26 season, it appeared Spurs were ready for the perfect in-house replacement. How good could a Vuskovic and Miki van de Ven pairing look?
However, De Zerbi still had other concerns about his handling of Tottenham’s young stars.
The former Marseille boss has loaned Mikey Moore to FC Koln, while still not calling up 18-year-old sensation Luca Williams-Barnett despite all the club’s struggles in recent months.
The teenage midfielder has been enjoying pre-season acclaim, memorably outscoring the likes of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes in the first leg against MK Dons.
Whether playing as a six, eight, number ten or left-back, Williams-Barnett looks like a real diamond, such a silky, effortlessly gifted talent.
He was given a brief cameo against Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup, although he continues to be overlooked at Premier League level, again remaining an unused substitute last time out.
With just two top-flight games under his belt, there’s a risk the youngster could start to get itchy feet, not least with rival clubs now sniffing around.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Williams-Barnett was being questioned by clubs such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and that his current contract will expire in 2028.
Spurs have by all accounts opened talks over a contract extension amid talk of sending him out on loan in January, although, as with Vuskovic, there is a risk he could be poached by one of their long list of suitors.
De Zerbi hasn’t made it clear that there is a clear pathway for academy talent to break into the first team, and while patience is required for a player still 18, Williams-Barnett is too good a prospect to ignore.
Spurs, looking a little red-faced from Vuskovic’s stunning start at Brighton, can’t afford to lose another teenage wonderkid any time soon.