Tottenham will need to battle to keep hold of Luka Vuskovic this summer, as The Standard reports that a decision has been made on his future soon.

Recent reports claim that the defender has requested to leave Spurs, following an impressive campaign out on loan at Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

The 19-year-old has skyrocketed in stature in recent years, but is yet to make his senior debut at Tottenham, and there are now doubts over whether that may come about at all.

With the recent signings in the backline, there is now huge competition for Vuskovic, who is set to consider his future with a decision in the coming days.

Luka Vuskovic Exit Decision

With uncertainty over the future of Vuskovic, The Standard reports that the defender’s future will be resolved after Croatia’s World Cup tournament comes to an end.

It’s claimed that the centre-back is now focused on his nation’s chances in the competition, and will then look to resolve his future with Tottenham after an exit is confirmed.

Croatia take on Portugal in the round of 32, with Vuskovic featuring in one of the three games they’ve played so far, with hopes that he can still contribute in the coming clash.

Should the previous finalists lose in the next match, then Tottenham could reach a decision with the 19-year-old in the next few days.

Vuskovic has been the subject of interest from Brighton, who have made two bids for the star so far, without any luck in being able to persuade Spurs to part ways with the youngster.

Reports stated that Vuskovic has asked to leave Tottenham, but so far there has been no movement in terms of an exit, with his return to the club likely to spark discussions over his future.

It remains to be seen whether Spurs can talk the defender round to staying, or whether he will stick with his decision to leave the club in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Must Convince Vuskovic To Stay

Vuskovic is clearly a talented player, having broken through in a position that is typically difficult to play in at such a young age.

It’s reasonable that, having made such an explosive start to his senior career, the defender is looking to keep that momentum up with another transfer.

Tottenham may find it difficult to provide the minutes he needs, given the competition around him and the requirement to win games from the start.

That said, at 19, Spurs need to provide a vision of a pathway that he can go on to keep him. The club have bought into these youngsters with the idea of them developing into superstars.

To cash in on Vuskovic at this stage would be to pull out of that plan without seeing it through to completion. Given his long contract, there is a chance to keep hold of him for the long-term future.

It remains to be seen whether the Lilywhites can do that, with a big few days ahead.

France further cemented their status as the 2026 World Cup favourites with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sweden in the Round of 32 on Tuesday – but an eyebrow-raising incident between head coach Didier Deschamps and one of his players has gone viral on social media.

Kylian Mbappe produced another inspired performance as Les Bleus booked their place in the last 16, where they will face Paraguay at the Philadelphia Stadium on Saturday.

The Real Madrid superstar scored two more goals and now sits level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi on six goals in the race for the Golden Boot award. He also improved his chances of winning his first ever Ballon d’Or award as he moved two goals clear of Germany legend Miroslav Klose in all-time World Cup top scorer charts.

Only Messi (19 goals) currently has more World Cup goals to his name than Mbappe (18 goals), who has been in scintillating form since the tournament began last month.

Cherki Appears to Blank Deschamps

Reuters/Caean Couto

With so many top players at his disposal, though, Deschamps has a battle on his hands to keep everyone happy – including several stars who haven’t had much playing time.

One of those star players is Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki, the mercurial playmaker who only came on for the final five minutes against Sweden.

Despite the fact the tie had effectively been wrapped up when Mbappe made it 3-0 in the 74th minute, Deschamps waited 11 more minutes before bringing on Cherki and Jean-Philippe Mateta for Michael Olise and Mbappe, respectively.

Post-match footage, recorded from the stands, appears to show Cherki blanking Deschamps as his manager approached him. Watch the clip below:

Why Cherki Might be Frustrated With His Manager

Reuters/Caean Couto

Football fans on social media believe the footage is clear evidence that Cherki is frustrated with his lack of playing time at this summer’s showpiece tournament.

“Damn, Cherki hates Deschamps,” one fan wrote on X (Twitter). “I don’t even blame him, he’s treated him horribly.”

Cherki, 22, played the final 25 minutes in France’s 4-1 win over Norway. In the game before that, against Iraq, the former Lyon star came on in the 68th minute. And in the opening match against Senegal, Cherki replaced Desire Doue in the 87th minute.

The numbers don’t lie. It’s clear that Cherki is lower down Deschamps’ pecking order than France’s other attacking stars.

However, the Man City ace – who is one of six contenders to win the coveted Men’s Players’ Player of the Year award following an excellent debut campaign in the Premier League – couldn’t hide his frustration after the Sweden game and will be hoping for more minutes in the next game against Paraguay.

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea may find themselves going after the same striker this transfer window, according to a recent report.

The fierce rivals will both be looking for improved fortunes this season after the London pair failed to qualify for European football in dismal respective seasons.

Admittedly, Spurs fans will say they had it worse as the Lilywhites narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League, while Chelsea did manage to reach the FA Cup final.

However, both have made managerial changes in recent months with Tottenham hiring Roberto De Zerbi in March and Chelsea bringing in Xabi Alonso once last season had officially concluded.

Both will be looking to lead vast improvement at their respective clubs.

Tottenham and Chelsea interested in Folarin Balogun

Both Tottenham and Chelsea are interested in a move for Monaco and USA striker Folarin Balogun, according to journalist Santi Aouna, with PSG also credited as a club targeting the 24-year-old.

The Parisians are looking to replace the outgoing Goncalo Ramos, who is headed to AC Milan, but Spurs are offering “heavy competition”, while Chelsea “are also interested”. The report states that Spurs have made Balogun a “priority” signing this summer.

Balogun came through the youth ranks at Arsenal and even made 10 senior appearances for the Gunners. He also had loan spells at Middlesbrough and Stade Reims before joining Monaco in 2023.

Since, the USA international has recorded 31 goals and 13 assists in 91 appearances for the French side and now looks likely to move on this summer.

Return to London would make sense

Matthew Childs via Reuters

Having grown up in London despite his allegiance to the USMNT, Balogun joining Tottenham or Chelsea would certainly be interesting given his Arsenal upbringing.

The striker was never given a proper opportunity to test himself at Premier League level with most of his appearances for the Gunners’ first-team coming in the Europa League.

Now though, the 24-year-old’s stock as one of Europe’s hottest strikers is growing and may compound further following the World Cup. According to Caught Offside, the striker is being valued at around €55million.

Balogun scored twice for the USA in their opening World Cup match, a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, which has directed eyes around the world on the forward.

However, a move to PSG would also make sense for the Monaco man, with the Parisians Europe’s top club at this moment in time on the back of lifting back-to-back Champions Leagues.

Regardless of what happens over the remainder of the summer, it seems unlikely that Balogun will still be representing Monaco when the transfer window closes.