19-year-old center-back no longer an option for Barcelona as Tottenham reach deal with Brighton | OneFootball

A few months ago, FC Barcelona were being expected to look into the transfer market to reinforce their center-back position. However, this position is no longer a major area of concern for the Blaugrana club, mainly because of Gerard Martin’s good performances in the center of the backline in the last phase of the previous season.

Still, the Catalans remain linked with some interesting center-backs from the market, and one name that had reportedly particularly attracted their interest was the Croatian youngster Luka Vuskovic. The young defender had caught their attention mainly because of his rapid growth and development in the last season, when he played on loan at the Bundesliga side Hamburg.

However, SPORT cites the journalist Fabrizio Romano to claim that his actual club, Tottenham Hotspur, has reached a deal with Brighton and Hove Albion for the defender’s transfer, and thus, he no longer remains an option for Barcelona.

Under this agreement, the Seagulls would pay €46 million fixed and promise another €4 million in variables for the player, while the London side will get to keep 20% share of a future sale. Brighton had already made an offer of €35 million for him a few days ago that was rejected by Spurs.

For their part, the Blaugranes had kept a close eye on the center-back for quite some time, as they believed he would be a very good fit for Hansi Flick’s side. Furthermore, the fact that he was represented by Pini Zahavi, with whom the Catalans have very good relations, could have facilitated a transfer.

However, owing to their economic problems and their more pressing need to reinforce other areas of their team, Barcelona were unable to make any serious move for Luka Vuskovic. For now, he would continue to play in the Premier League, but still being only 19 years of age, a future move to the Camp Nou can never be ruled out.