Tottenham Hotspur transfer news: Defender 'agrees' loan move to European club

The Lilywhites won a heated battle to capture the highly-rated Luka Vuskovic from boyhood club Hajduk Split, announcing a £12m deal for the 17-year-old back in September.

However, the 2007-born defender will not officially join the Lilywhites until his 18th birthday in 2025 due to FIFA rules, meaning that he will continue his development away from North London for one more year.

Vuskovic spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan with Radomiak in Poland, where he further enhanced his reputation as a goalscoring centre-back, netting three times in 14 appearances.

The 6ft 4in Croatia youth international is now due back at Hajduk Split, where he has come up with one goal from 11 matches during his teenage years, but his time in his homeland is nearing its end.

Vuskovic 'gives green light' to Westerlo loan move

According to the Evening Standard, Vuskovic has agreed to join Belgian top-flight club Westerlo on a temporary deal, which will represent his final spell away from Tottenham before he is eligible to play for the senior side.

Two-time winners of the Belgian Second Division - most recently in the 2021-22 season - Westerlo placed eighth in the 2022-23 Jupiler Pro League season before ranking 11th in the most recent campaign.

Westerlo's ranking earned them a ticket to the Europe playoffs, but they finished second from bottom in that six-team section, ending their slim hopes of playing on the continent next year.

Nevertheless, Vuskovic will be expected to cement himself as a weekly starter with De Kemphanen, whose manager Timmy Simons formerly played as a centre-back for PSV Eindhoven and Belgium.

Former Tottenham Hotspur man Nacer Chadli could be among those welcoming Vuskovic to Westerlo, having joined the club last summer, although his contract expires at the end of the month.

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham clearout to ramp up in coming weeks

Before Vuskovic - who is contracted to Tottenham until 2026 - bids to play his way into Postecoglou's good books for the 2025-26 campaign, the Australian manager is undertaking a major clearout of his ranks in the current window.

Space has been opened up in the defenders' department for Vuskovic thanks to the exits of Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga on free transfers, while Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon and all-time record signing Tanguy Ndombele have also left the club.

The likes of Djed Spence - in talks over a permanent move to Genoa - and Joe Rodon are expected to follow suit in the near future; the latter is believed to have caught the eye of several Championship clubs thanks to his stellar season with Leeds United.

Spurs are also believed to be open to offers for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso, Bryan Gil and Richarlison, the latter of whom could be replaced by a new striker for 2024-25.