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Luka Vuskovic spent last season on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, making 30 appearances in all competitions and scoring six goals.
He has five years remaining on his Tottenham Hotspur contract, which he signed after officially joining the club last summer.
Vuskovic, who has yet to make a senior appearance for Spurs, agreed a move from Hajduk Split in September 2023 for £12m, although the transfer only became official once he turned 18.
The defender, who has also been linked with Liverpool as they assess defensive options, is now set to join Brighton & Hove Albion. According to The Athletic, Brighton have agreed a deal worth up to £50m.
Tottenham will receive an initial £46m, with add-ons potentially taking the fee to £50m, and will retain a 20 per cent sell-on clause as well as matching rights on any future sale.
The 19-year-old is currently at the World Cup with Croatia, who face Portugal on Wednesday. He is expected to undergo a medical after Croatia’s tournament ends.
It will be a club-record signing for Brighton & Hove Albion, eclipsing the £40m arrival of Georginio Rutter from Leeds United in 2024.
Brighton had previously seen a £30m bid rejected before returning with an improved offer. Spurs have already been active in the market, with the arrival of centre-backs including Jan Paul van Hecke, Marco Senesi, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin.
Brighton have also strengthened defensively this summer with the signing of Pascal Struijk from Leeds United. Spurs reportedly felt they could not guarantee Vuskovic the first-team minutes he would want, paving the way for his departure.
Vuskovic has so far looked most comfortable in a back three, while Brightonunder Fabian Hurzeler primarily operated with a back four last season, raising questions over how he will adapt tactically.
There are also concerns over his acceleration, which was previously highlighted during his spell in the Bundesliga last term. Although the teenager has worked to improve that aspect of his game, the pace and intensity of the Premier League will require further adjustment.
Even so, Vuskovic remains a major prospect. He is already regarded as one of the most physically dominant teenage centre-backs in European football and is unlikely to struggle in that area in England.
Brighton, meanwhile, believe they are investing in a player with significant long-term upside, with the potential to develop into one of the top defenders in the game.