Bukayo Saka doesn’t have as many league goals as incoming Tottenham star Luka Vuskovic this term (Image: Getty)
Inbound signing Luka Vuskovic hasn’t even arrived in north London, but he’s already got one over on future rival . That’s after the centre-back put his goalscoring prowess on full display while on loan at Belgian outfit Westerlo this season.
It was all the way back in September 2023 that Spurs announced their in a little less than two years’ time. But there are bound to be a few Spurs supporters who wish the deal – believed to be worth £12million – was brought forward so that he was available now.
After all, it would be no bad thing to have an asset with more league goals than Gunners talisman Saka this season. The winger has racked up five finishes from 16 appearances this term, while 18-year-old Vuskovic has scored seven times in the Belgian Pro League.
Granted, Saka has been sidelined since Christmas due to a tear in his right hamstring and plays in a much more difficult division. However, Vuskovic is still a developing talent based in a squad battling to remain in Belgium’s top flight, not to mention that he spends most of his time watching play from the back.
Not that it has stopped him from pulling off some remarkable scoring feats of his own this season. After spending part of last season on loan at Polish outfit Radomiak Radom – where he scored three times in 14 appearances – he has taken his attacking exploits up another notch.
Croatia under-21 international Vuskovic even won the Pro League’s Goal of the Year award for 2024 following his Boxing Day strike against domestic giants Club Brugge. The 6’4″ teenager showed supreme acrobatic ability to piledrive home a bicycle kick when he was still just 17, and it’s clear Vuskovic isn’t lacking in confidence ahead of his move to England.
Luka Vuskovic has been a goal machine in defence for Westerlo this season (Image: Getty)
“Without being arrogant, I can say that I have shown sufficient qualities,” said the youngster while discussing his next move in a recent interview with Voetbalkrant. “Maybe I still have to work on my speed a bit more, although Mats Hummels shows that you can make a difference even without that speed.
“If I have made my debut at , it will be fine. Is there a chance that I will stay at Westerlo? That has not been discussed yet.”
‘s position looks far steadier after three straight wins in the Premier League, which has helped push Spurs back up to 12th in the table. Goals haven’t been a concern considering only league leaders (64) outrank the 53 goals have scored so far this season, but defence is a different matter.
An injury crisis has seen centre-backs Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin sidelined for much of the campaign, with the likes of Archie Gray and Ben Davies filling in. January loan signing Kevin Danso has also had a big role to play since arriving at the club, and are reportedly obligated to pay Lens £21m for his signature in the summer.
That could mean Vuskovic’s chances of staying at Spurs next season may be slim, given the amount of competition he’s likely to face in north London. However, Postecoglou may opt to keep the teenager around in an effort to avoid a repeat of this season’s shortages at the back.