'Two of the best centre-backs'—Future Tottenham superstar explains loan move

Luka Vuskovic has explained why he decided to leave the club on loan again this summer, despite having the option to remain in north London for the 2025/26 season.

The young Croatian defender was regarded as quite the coup two summers ago, but only officially joined the club at the end of the 2024/25 campaign after turning 18 in February. Vuskovic have since played for Radomiak Radom and Westerlo on loan, generating plenty of buzz for his performances in Belgium last term.

There's no doubting his superstar potential, and some might've expected the teenager to have been a part of Thomas Frank's first team squad during the Dane's first season at the helm. Vuskovic started superbly in pre-season, scoring in the victory at Reading, but his minutes gradually decreased as the summer went on, and it became clear that the club were planning to send him out on loan for the season.

There was plenty of interest, and Spurs eventually found a suitable home in the form of Hamburg, who have returned to the Bundesliga and recently had Vuskovic's older brother, Mario, on their books.

Luka Vuskovic explains decision to join Hamburg on loan

Vuskovic completed his German switch in the final week of the transfer window, while Spurs were seemingly still in the market for another defender. However, after Arsenal swooped for Piero Hincapie, we never came close to landing an alternative.

As a result, Kevin Danso and Ben Davies are the only senior centre-backs currently available behind Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, with Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin out injured.

Vuskovic likely would've played a fairly significant role, given our demanding schedule, but the man himself revealed that he didn't want to bank on an injury to one of the two outstanding starters and has opted to earn regular first-team minutes in one of Europe's premier divisions.

Explaining his decision to depart on loan, the Croatian said (via Football London): "They offered me the option to stay, to play in case of injury or cup games. But I wanted consistent playing time. They have Romero and Van de Ven, two of the best centre-backs in the world right now.

"I believe in myself, but it's really hard to play next to them. I’ve faced them, realised I need to work harder. A lot of work and a bit of luck, and I'll return," he modestly added.

Hearing such honesty from the young man is refreshing, and the Bundesliga has the potential to be a great loan destination for him. He'll be exposed to plenty of emergency defensive sequences and will often be tasked with covering larger spaces in transition. Regular football is most important, however.

While the decision to let him go does appear more curious given the absence of a new arrival in the final days of the window, Spurs will surely have the option to recall in January if injuries take their toll once again.