De Zerbi could throw Spurs teen in “at the deep end”

You could cut the tension with a knife at Tottenham Hotspur, who have a two-point safety net in their battle against relegation from the Premier League, just two games to go.

Roberto De Zerbi has done an excellent job so far, replacing the beleaguered Igor Tudor during the March international break, taking them out of the relegation zone and restoring the winning feeling on the road.

Spurs have so many problems, but there’s a sense that the frontline hasn’t been hitting any of the right notes throughout the campaign. In other words, the Londoners miss the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

Why Spurs are missing Harry Kane

It goes without saying that Kane is one of the best strikers in Premier League history. He has scored more goals than any other Tottenham player – ever.

Kane has been gone for some time now, scoring for fun over in Germany with Bayern Munich, but with Son having left last summer and Brennan Johnson, Spurs’ top scorer in 2024/25, joining Crystal Palace in January, attacking quality has been exposed.

Dominic Solanke’s injury problems have ruined his chances of succeeding at the front of the ship, and with Richarlison mooted for a summer exit, the importance of signing a new striker this summer has been heightened.

It’s only attacking deficiencies that are letting the Lilywhites down this season, though. In defence, Tottenham have been porous, and with Cristian Romero set to leave at the end of the season, something needs to change.

Luckily, De Zerbi and his staff may be able to throw the new Kane in at the deep end – even though he’s a defender.

De Zerbi must unleash Spurs’ new Kane next season

Luka Vuskovic might not be a forward, but he does have the potential to develop into one of the world’s leading centre-backs, currently thriving out on loan with Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

Whether the Croatia international plays for Tottenham next season remains to be seen. He would not fancy a dip into the Championship as his rises, to be sure, but if De Zerbi secures Spurs’ Premier League seat, the teenager could play an instrumental role next season, guiding Tottenham back into the light.

Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke has even claimed that the chiefs are preparing to throw him “in at the the deep end” next season, and with Romero looking to leave, this makes a lot of sense.

The young defender has even been described as a “monster in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so dominant in the air and composed on the ball.

He is a unique centre-back, tailored toward the modern age. He wants to get on the ball and start forward sequences, maintaining authority and a willingness to engage in physical battles.

He might not strike home with the same consistency as Kane (though Vuskovic has scored five times from 26 Bundesliga appearances this season), but he’s unquestionably one of the most talented young centre-halves out there.

Vuskovic has not yet played a competitive game for Tottenham, but he has the world at his feet, and it would be a travesty if Spurs let him leave before enacting positive change in north London.

He has the potential to rival Kane down N17. Maybe not in positional value, but rather, through his world-class potential and his capacity to steer this club back up into the limelight.