Luka Vušković

Luka Vušković (born 24 February 2007) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Belgian Pro League club Westerlo, on loan from Hajduk Split. He will join Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2025.

Club career

Hajduk Split

Born in Split, Vušković progressed through the academy of the local side Hajduk Split, becoming the youngest Croatian to play, and to score, in the UEFA Youth League.

He made his unofficial debut at 15, playing in a friendly against Urania in September 2022. On 16 December 2022, he scored in a 4–3 friendly victory over the German side Schalke 04.

On 26 February 2023, two days after his sixteenth birthday, Vušković made his professional debut, starting and playing 90 minutes in a league derby match against Dinamo Zagreb, which ended in a 4–0 loss for his side. In the process, he became the youngest player in the Croatian top flight, together with Marko Dabro; he also became the youngest player to ever feature in an Eternal derby game, surpassing Josip Bašić.

On 2 March 2023, Vušković scored the opening goal in Hajduk's 2–1 win over Osijek in the quarter-finals of the 2022–23 Croatian Football Cup. Scoring at 16 years and 5 days old, he became the youngest goalscorer in the history of Hajduk Split in official matches. On 25 September 2023, Vušković reached an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur about joining the Premier League club in 2025, in a deal which will run until 2030. The deal was reported to be worth around £12 million.

Loan to Radomiak

On 31 January 2024, after failing to make an appearance for Hajduk since the start of the 2023–24 season, Vušković joined Polish Ekstraklasa club Radomiak Radom on a six-month loan. He made his first-team – and Ekstraklasa – debut on 10 February 2024, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute for Mike Cestor in a 0–6 away loss against Cracovia. Six days later, Vušković received his first start for the club in a 0–4 home loss against Pogoń Szczecin. He returned to Hajduk at the end of the season.

Loan to Westerlo

On 9 July 2024, he was loaned to Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League.

International career

Vušković has represented Croatia at youth international level.

Personal life

Hailing from a footballing family, Vušković's father, Danijel, formerly played for Hajduk Split, and now serves as a coach for the youth team. His grandfather, Mario, played for the youth teams of Hajduk Split during the tenure of Tomislav Ivić, and went on to forge a footballing career in the Netherlands. His great-grandfather, Marko, also played for Hajduk Split during World War II, and went on to work as a club executive.

More recently, his brother, also named Mario, left Hajduk Split for Germany, where he joined Hamburger SV. His cousins, Moreno and Vito, are also footballers, as was their father, Ronald.

Style of play

Standing at 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in), Vušković holds an advantage among young players due to his height. He is notable for his positioning and ability to contemplate the opposition's plans and act accordingly. His heading abilities are also characteristic, making him a danger to the opposition during set pieces. For this reason, he is among the top scorers among young players, even though he plays as a centre-back. His imposing physique also gives him an advantage as a defender, while his quick thinking and ball distribution help facilitate attacks. Jacek Kulig, a scouting expert, stated that Vušković has no significant weaknesses. Vušković's style of play has been compared to that of the Spanish international Gerard Piqué.

Career statistics

Club

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References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vušković, Luka
2007 births
Living people
Footballers from Split, Croatia
Croatian men's footballers
Men's association football central defenders
Croatia men's youth international footballers
HNK Hajduk Split players
Radomiak Radom players
K.V.C. Westerlo players
Croatian Football League players
Ekstraklasa players
Belgian Pro League players
Croatian expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Poland
Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Poland
Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium