Brighton raised its bid for Tottenham centre‑back Luka Vuskovic to £45 million, including add‑ons. The Croatia international, who spent last season on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, is now in the World Cup squad that lost 4‑2 to England. The move appeals to the defender, who has said he wants to play on the south coast.

Earlier this week, Spurs completed a £52 million purchase of Brighton defender Jan Paul Van Hecke, who had one year left on his contract. Brighton made a hefty profit, buying him for £1.8 million in 2020 and securing a 20 percent sell‑on. The transfer thins Vuskovic’s chances as Tottenham now fields Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Barcelona has joined the chase for Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven, who also attracts Premier League interest. Van de Ven, with two years remaining on his deal and an option for a further 12 months, has discussed a contract extension with Spurs, but no agreement has materialised. De Zerbi still praises him as the league’s best left‑sided central defender.

Brighton’s willingness to pay a premium for Vuskovic signals its ambition to solidify defensive depth ahead of the new Premier League campaign. Tottenham’s recent acquisitions and the potential departure of Van de Ven leave the club scrambling for centre‑back options, tightening the squad’s defensive core for the season.