Brighton sign defender Luka Vuskovic from Spurs in club-record £50m deal

Brighton sign defender Luka Vuskovic from Spurs in club-record £50m deal

Brighton & Hove Albion have announced the signing of teenage defender Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that sets a new spending record for the club. The 19-year-old has committed to a five-year contract at the Amex Stadium, which includes an option for an additional year.

The transfer fee is understood to be up to £50m. According to reports from Sports Mole and SoccerNews, the deal consists of a guaranteed £46m payment with £4m in achievable add-ons. This surpasses the £40m Brighton spent on forward Georginio Rutter from Leeds United in 2024.

For Tottenham, the deal represents the fourth-most expensive sale in the club's history, trailing only Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and Kyle Walker. Sky Sports News reports that Spurs have secured a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights, allowing the North London side to potentially re-sign the defender in the future.

Vuskovic arrives at Brighton without having made a senior appearance for Tottenham. The club originally signed him from Hajduk Split in 2025 for £12m before sending him on loan to Bundesliga side Hamburger SV for the 2025-26 campaign. During that loan spell, Vuskovic won the Bundesliga’s official rookie of the month award four times and scored six goals in 28 league appearances. Across all competitions, he made 30 appearances and recorded team-high totals for clearances (262), aerial duels won (162), and successful passes (1,398).

The 6ft 4in centre-back was identified as a primary target for Brighton following the departure of Adam Webster on a free transfer and the £52m sale of Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham. Van Hecke is expected to link up with former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.

Vuskovic's move comes after he expressed a desire to play first-team football. Tottenham were unable to guarantee regular minutes for the defender after signing both Van Hecke and Marcos Senesi during the summer. Vuskovic also faced competition for places from Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso.

The defender recently featured for Croatia during the World Cup, starting in a 4-2 defeat against England in the opening match. Croatia was later eliminated in the round of 32 by Portugal.

"Luka has enjoyed a fantastic start to his career – it’s one we’ve followed closely,"

Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton head coach, via official website

Hurzeler noted that while Vuskovic demonstrated he can play at a very high level last season, the teenager will still need time to adjust to the demands of the Premier League. Vuskovic described the move as inevitable, telling official media channels, It was always Brighton, and praised the club's vision and ambition.

Vuskovic is the sixth addition to the squad this summer, joining Rodrigo Rego, Michael Svoboda, Costinha, Pascal Struijk and Zadok Yohanna. In a separate move, Brighton allowed Brajan Gruda to return to RB Leipzig on loan.

The signing comes as Brighton prepares for a return to European competition in the Conference League after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season. Their European campaign begins on August 20 in the qualifying playoffs round. Their Premier League season opens at home against Aston Villa on August 23, followed by a trip to face Chelsea seven days later.

While Vuskovic joins Brighton, other Tottenham players are expected to leave this summer. Midfielder Lucas Bergvall is keen on a move, and striker Will Lankshear is attracting interest from Sporting CP. Additionally, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario could depart, and Richarlison will be allowed to leave with one year remaining on his contract.