Tottenham’s summer transfer window is going to be filled with difficult decisions to make, especially when it comes to some players leaving the club in favour of a new challenge.
Cristian Romero could leave Spurs as one of several reluctant deals the club could feel forced to accept, with work already being done to improve the backline.
Marcos Senesi is set to join on a free transfer, with Tottenham looking to land centre-back options with experience and proven Premier League quality in their skillset.
Then there’s the recently rejected bid for Jan Paul van Hecke, as the defender has been linked with a possible reunion with Roberto De Zerbi after playing under him at Brighton.
The knock-on effect of any deal could be huge, however, especially when Tottenham consider the future of one particular defender in their ranks.
Luka Vuskovic Transfer Dilemma
One player who will be watching Tottenham’s transfer dealings with intent is Luka Vuskovic, the young defender who was signed by the club a few years ago, but is yet to feature for the senior side.
A promising young centre-back, the 19-year-old has shown plenty of promise in his spells with Westerlo in Belgium and more recently Hamburg in Germany.
The latest of those loan moves saw Vuskovic come in for plenty of praise in the Bundesliga, as he featured 30 times for the club, making quite the impact in that time on the pitch.
It’s no surprise that the Croatian international has been described as a “generational talent”, but the question is whether Tottenham can tap into that quality and potential at the right time.
A move for Van Hecke, combined with the deal for Senesi and defensive depth that includes Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, and Radu Dragusin means it could be tough for the youngster to see a route into the team.
In that instance, Tottenham could be forced into a difficult decision; stick with Vuskovic for potentially limited game time, or face the possibility that he may push for an exit in the summer.
That isn’t an easy choice to make, as Spurs need to balance a clear improvement in quality for the here and now with the need for some long-term planning.
It’s a decision not too dissimilar from one made by Tottenham’s near and dear rivals Arsenal, who could provide a blueprint to deal with the situation.
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Tottenham Can Follow Arsenal Blueprint
Following the lead of bitter rivals Arsenal isn’t easy for Tottenham, but it’s clear that they have done something right in the other half of North London, and taking lessons from that is no bad thing.
More specifically, looking at the potential for an up-and-coming centre-back to make an impact, the Gunners have shown how it is done with William Saliba.
The French defender had several loan spells in France after showing promise at a young age, but it was still a leap of faith that led to Mikel Arteta sticking with him early on his return from Marseille.
That quietened down any talk of a transfer exit, and any possibility of unhappiness, while the centre-back ranks have been secure there ever since.
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For Spurs, the situation is slightly more complex, but the idea of putting some faith into a youngster who is ready for more game time is worth following.
That may well depend on the outgoings elsewhere, as there may be too many centre-backs fighting for just two places in the team this coming season.
As a result, at worst, the club should look at facilitating another loan but with a clear plan on how to integrate him Vuskovic into the team moving forward.
Failure to do so risks Tottenham losing a top talent for the future.