Brighton ready 'improved' third offer for Luka Vuskovic as Tottenham talks progress

Brighton are preparing to submit a third bid for Tottenham Hotspur's young centre-back Luka Vuskovic, sources have told Football Insider.

The Seagulls are understood to be readying an "improved" offer for their "top target", having seen their second bid of £30million knocked back by the Lilywhites.

Their pursuit of the 19-year-old is closely linked to Spurs' attempts to buy Jan Paul van Hecke, with one deal potentially set to trigger the other as talks progress.

Tottenham are extremely reluctant to sell Vuskovic, but there is a growing belief that the player himself is keen to make the switch to the Amex Stadium.

The Croatian starlet has been subject to interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona in recent months, but Brighton are now the driving force in the race to sign him.

The defender made a name for himself in an eye-catching loan spell with Hamburg this term, and could become a regular in the Premier League in 2026-27.

Tottenham and Brighton had already been locked in discussions over a deal for Van Hecke, and the latter's attempts to sign Vuskovic have added to the agenda in recent days.

Van Hecke is about to enter the final year of his contract at the Amex Stadium and is currently away at the World Cup with the Netherlands, but that hasn't stopped Spurs from trying to do a deal.

The North Londoners have already seen two offers knocked back for the 26-year-old, and are now facing the prospect of having to pay over £70m for him.

Their pursuit of the Dutchman is closely tied to Vuskovic's future, as it would potentially see another centre-back arrive ahead of him in the pecking order.

Tottenham rate the youngster extremely highly, but he now has an immediate desire to play top-level first-team football.

If Brighton were to lose Van Hecke, it would leave a gap for them to fill at the centre of their backline, and they have earmarked Vuskovic to step into it.

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness recently told Football Insider that Vuskovic's decision on his future is "not about money," and is more focused around his pathway to stardom.

The former boardroom man urged Spurs to sit down and explain where he stands in the pecking order, and ideally provide a pathway for him to grow into a starter for them.

Wyness made it clear that if they cannot facilitate that for him, the defender will have plenty of other options to get the gametime that he wants.

The starlet is facing a pivotal summer at an early stage of his career, and Wyness is adamant that the amount of money on offer won't matter to him as much as the chance to progress as a player.