Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou “wanted” to sign Hajduk Split teenager Luka Vuskovic when he was still Celtic boss, according to Calciomercato.com.
The Italian website claims that Postecoglou has kept an eye on the Croatian for quite some time, and he is now expected to seal a £12m move to Spurs.
It is not entirely surprising that Vuskovic was on Celtic’s radar. A couple of years ago, the Scottish champions had tracked his older brother Mario, who also played for Hajduk Split.
At the time, it was reported that a bid was tabled for the defender. A move did not end up materialising and the player later joined Hamburg instead.
There is no doubt that the recruitment team would have also watched Luka as he came through the youth ranks prior to making his senior debut earlier this year.
Competition for Vuskovic was fierce
In addition to Tottenham, the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain were also believed to be interested in the 16-year-old.
For that reason, and his extremely high price tag, it is not surprising that Celtic did not compete for the defender’s signature.
He has all the attributes to be a top centre-back
Despite his young age, Vuskovic is already 6ft 4. He is not just strong in the air, though, with the youngster also receiving praise for his ball distribution and positioning.
There is a genuine feeling that the Croatian Under 17 international could become one of the best defenders in the world in the future.
Some have already compared Vuskovic to a young Gerard Pique who has very few weaknesses in his game. It is, therefore, a disappointment that Celtic didn’t make a move for the player much earlier when there would have been much less competition.
