Ange Postecoglou has put together a rather youthful Tottenham backline since taking on the Spurs job and he will have highly-rated centre-back Luka Vuskovic as an option from 2025
Ange Postecoglou may have only been in the Tottenham hotseat for just over three months but it's clear to see that he is trying to build something special in N17. Seeing a notable change in the team's style of football with the Lilywhites earning plenty of plaudits for their eye-catching attacking displays, Spurs are flourishing on the pitch at present and currently sit second in the Premier League table.
Making such a positive start to life as Tottenham head coach, Spurs fans' love for Postecoglou could reach new heights altogether if he can mastermind victories over Arsenal and Liverpool later this month. Going on Spurs' transformation in such a short space of time, all connected with the club are looking forward to the coming months and even years with the Australian building a rather youthful team.
"Not necessarily. I know that's the obvious place people look at because of recent outgoings but we'd been planning for that for a while," he said when asked if signing a striker was now priority following Harry Kane's departure. "There's still areas we can strengthen in all our lines: defensively, midfield, up front. Again that's not just bringing players in for the sake of it. They have to fit the profile we're looking at.
"We've purposefully gone a bit younger because we want to build a team here. It's not about putting the finishing touches on something, we're building something here. So that's the mind of profiles we're looking at."
Bringing seven new players to the club during the summer transfer window as well as making Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro's loan deals permanent, Spurs did not sign a player over the age of 26. The average age of their starting XI this season has reduced as a result to 24.5, leaving them in third behind Arsenal (24.1) and Burnley (23.5) for the youngest team in the Premier League this campaign.
It appears to be quite the coup for Spurs as clubs such as Liverpool, Man City and Paris Saint-Germain had been keen on securing a transfer for the 6ft 4in centre-back. Making his debut for Hajduk in February two days after turning 16, Vuskovic went on to make eight league appearances last season and also became their youngest ever goalscorer after scoring in their Croatia Cup quarter-final tie on their way to winning the trophy.
An imposing player due to his physique, Vuskovic has all the attributes to thrive in Postecoglou's Spurs backline and the hope is that he will indeed turn out to be a huge success. Tottenham fans will have to wait some time for him to appear in a Spurs shirt, though, as he is expected to join the club in 2025 after he turns 18.
The deal for Vuskovic is very much another one for the future as Postecoglou and Spurs look to form a team for the foreseeable future. The 58-year-old has already made key changes to Tottenham's defence and they could quite possibly have the same backline for the coming years due to the age of the players at the club.
At right-back, Porro is 23 with Emerson Royal 24 years of age. The ages do vary when you move across to the left flank as first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie is 20, Ryan Sessegnon 23 and Ben Davies 30.
Van de Ven wasn't the only defensive addition in the summer transfer market as 18-year-old Ashley Phillips joined for £2million from Blackburn Rovers. Although maybe seen as one for the future due to his age and limited experience, he could indeed be one for the here and now after taking his place on the bench in Tottenham's last game at Burnley.
Eric Dier, 29, is a further option for Tottenham at centre-back if required, although it appears that his days in north London are numbered if Postecoglou's squad selection in the opening five games is anything to go by. Already making key alterations to his defence this summer, Postecoglou and Spurs are clearly planning for the years ahead with Vuskovic set to be the club's next signing.
Tottenham fans are going to have to bide their time to watch the Croat take to the field for the Lilywhites but many will no doubt be keeping close tabs on how he fares in his home country prior to his move to the capital. Postecoglou is looking to build a team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for years to come, with Vuskovic the next to become a key part of Tottenham's future from 2025 onwards.