Tottenham Prepared to Sacrifice Star Defenders Romero or Van de Ven to Fast-Track Luka Vuskovic into First-Team Role

Tottenham insider John Wenham is sure Luka Vuskovic will join the first team next season, potentially replacing either Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 21, 2026, 2:35 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Football365

Strategic Rebuild Amidst Top-Flight Survival Battle

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in a state of profound transition as they struggle to maintain their Premier League status under new manager Igor Tudor. Following a disappointing exit from the Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid, the North London club is facing a season without European football for the first time in recent history. With the team currently languishing just a single point above the drop zone, the board is forced to balance immediate survival with long-term squad planning, leading to radical proposals regarding the future of their most valuable defensive assets.

Croatian Prodigy Emerges as Future Defensive Anchor

Luka Vuskovic, the 19-year-old center-back currently on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, has become the focal point of Tottenham’s future defensive strategy. Club insider John Wenham has expressed absolute certainty that Vuskovic will be integrated directly into the first-team squad for the 2026-27 campaign, provided the club avoids relegation. The teenager’s performances in Germany have convinced coaching staff that he is ready for the rigors of English football, prompting discussions about which established stars must make way to accommodate his development.

Internal Debate Over Selling Romero or Van de Ven

The potential promotion of Vuskovic has placed the futures of World Cup winner Cristian Romero and Dutch international Micky van de Ven under intense scrutiny. According to Wenham, the club may opt to sell one of the pair—but not both—to facilitate a clear pathway for the incoming Croatian. This move is seen as a necessary "facilitation" to show Vuskovic’s representatives that a genuine platform for growth exists at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While losing such high-caliber players would traditionally be seen as a setback, the insider suggests that the time is right for a structural shift in the backline.