Media report: Vuskovic was close to joining Real Madrid! | OneFootball

Luka Vuskovic is considered one of the discoveries of the Bundesliga season. His path almost led him to a world-class club several years ago.

The central defender, trained at Hajduk Split, was regarded as a huge talent early on, and word of this reached as far as Real Madrid. According to information obtained by the Abendblatt, the Royals had already tried to secure Vuskovic’s services three years ago, inviting his family for talks. At that time, his brother Mario, who was already serving a doping ban, mother Sanja, and advisor Damir Smoljan traveled to Madrid.

Real welcomed the Vuskovic camp with none other than Croatian football icon Luka Modric, whose mere presence reportedly brought a sparkle to the guests’ eyes. In addition, then-coach Carlo Ancelotti greeted Mario Vuskovic with a handshake and asked about HSV. Luka’s older brother was then completely captivated by Real Madrid. Finally, Mario, Mama Sanja, and advisor Smoljan were given a Real jersey with the number five for Luka, who was waiting in Split.

Photo: IMAGO

Vuskovic: How Tottenham Outbid Real Madrid

The exchange between both parties was also more than satisfactory. Real Madrid wanted to lure Vuskovic away from Split for a transfer fee of six million euros, which could have doubled through various bonuses. Salary was also discussed. However, no agreement was reached. That’s because Tottenham Hotspur intervened before the 15-time Champions League winner could seal the deal.

They entered the race for Vuskovic under curious circumstances. Madrid’s interest in Vuskovic had leaked out to a wider circle in Split. This included lawyer Tomislav Kasalo, who, together with Paul Greene, represented Mario before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in his fight against the doping ban. Kasalo has close ties to the Europe-wide networked agent Pini Zahavi and informed him about Luka Vuskovic.

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Zahavi – once called a “money-hungry piranha” by Uli Hoeneß – ultimately organized an offer from the Spurs, while Kasalo, who waived his legal fee, worked to convince the Vuskovic family. In September 2023, it was finally confirmed that Luka Vuskovic would move to Tottenham Hotspur for eleven million euros. However, due to Brexit regulations, the transfer could only be completed once he reached adulthood.

To date, the now 19-year-old has not played a competitive match for the Spurs. He was initially deemed not mature enough for the Premier League, so he was loaned to HSV. There, Vuskovic, as is well known, impressed across the board and is now once again being linked with top international clubs such as FC Barcelona. But Real Madrid is also said to be keeping a close eye on his development. Perhaps a collaboration will come about on the second attempt.

Photo: Getty Images

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.