Why Thomas Frank must recall ‘monster’ who can transform Tottenham’s defence
Tottenham have found a symbiotic defensive partnership in the form of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, but they have a potential prodigy on loan in Germany who could force Thomas Frank to reconsider his backline.
Luka Vuskovic has been tied to Tottenham since 2023, when the club announced they had reached an agreement with Croatian side Hajduk Split to sign the then 16-year-old centre-back once he turned 18.
Fast forward two years, and Vuskovic is now on loan at Bundesliga club Hamburg, where he has made an instant impact, winning the league’s rookie of the month award after just four league appearances.
Luka Vuskovic has been named the Bundesliga ‘Rookie of the Month’ for September! 👏🤍
— The Spurs Express (@TheSpursExpress) October 6, 2025
pic.twitter.com/h6uXpZoQF5
Despite being newly promoted to the top flight, only three teams have conceded fewer goals than Hamburg in the Bundesliga this season, and the club sit in a respectable eighth place.
Vuskovic has no doubt been a key reason for Hamburg’s strong start, playing every minute of each of their last four games after making his debut away to Bayern Munich in September.
In a goalless draw away to Union Berlin on September 28, Vuskovic was the star of the show, winning an incredible 18 aerial duels while only being beaten to a header twice himself.
How does Luka Vuskovic compare to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven?
Such is the level of Vuskovic’s performances, the 18-year-old already compares strongly to Frank‘s preferred central defensive duo of Romero and van de Ven.
Vuskovic has won over 84 per cent of his aerial duels in league action this season, which makes Romero’s 60 per cent win rate and van de Ven’s 47 per cent win rate look decidedly average in comparison.
Despite missing the first two games of the season, Vuskovic (49) ranks second in the Bundesliga for total clearances, behind only RB Leipzig’s Willi Orban (53), who himself is famed for his aerial ability.
Indeed, Vuskovic – who has been labelled a ‘monster’ – is making a mammoth 12.3 clearances per 90 minutes, a total which dwarfs that of Romero (3.6) and van de Ven (3.2).
It is also interesting to note his ability in possession. The 18-year-old carries the ball almost 274 yards per 90 minutes, and progresses the ball 152 yards with those carries. Both figures outrank the Spurs defensive pair.
| 2025-26 – Per 90 minutes | Vuskovic | Romero | Van de Ven |
| Aerials Won | 6.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| Aerial Win Rate | 84.4% | 60% | 47.1% |
| Clearances | 12.3 | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| Carry Distance (yards) | 273.8 | 203.9 | 186.4 |
| Carry Progress (yards) | 152 | 123.4 | 77.4 |
Vuskovic recall could allow Thomas Frank to switch to a back three
Although in the long run it could be best for all parties to allow Vuskovic to continue his fine season with Hamburg, Spurs do have the option to recall the Croatian from his loan.
Whether it be in January or next August, there is no doubt that Vuskovic will feature in Spurs’ plans, and his return would enable Frank to use a system which saw him overachieve on a yearly basis at former club Brentford.
Frank used a back four to get Brentford promoted from the Championship in 2020-21, but the Dane switched to a system that used three central defenders once his side were in the Premier League.
Frank has used a back four in all of his league matches so far this season, but when losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup in August, Spurs lined up with three central defenders.
Vuskovic has been used as the middle centre-back in a back five for Hamburg this season, and this is a system that would suit Romero and van de Ven, too.
Romero’s aggressive playstyle would benefit from having an additional defender to cover his gaps, while van de Ven has shown he is comfortable in wide positions, playing as a left-back on multiple occasions to great effect.