There is a growing fear among Spurs supporters that the teenager's rising reputation could mean they never get the chance to see him establish himself in north London.
The 19-year-old centre-back is already a Tottenham player, but after spending last season on loan at Hamburg, his future has become one of the most intriguing subplots of the club's summer transfer window.
Interest is mounting across Europe, with Brighton leading the race after submitting a fresh £35million bid.
Spurs have so far resisted interest, but it has left them confronting a situation they never wanted to face.
While the club entered the summer anticipating potential changes across their defensive ranks, Vuskovic has always been viewed differently from many of his senior counterparts.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and defenders Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin were all regarded as players who could move on if the right offers arrived.
Vuskovic, by contrast, has been considered one of the club's most exciting long-term prospects. Another loan move was viewed as a possibility, but a permanent departure was not part of the plan.
Tottenham are convinced the Croatian has the attributes to develop into a top-level defender and have been determined to resist attempts to prise him away.
Brighton continue to push, however, and Spurs may yet find themselves in a battle to retain a player whose stock has risen significantly over the past 12 months.
His situation comes against the backdrop of a potentially transformative summer for Tottenham's defence under Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian has already overseen significant recruitment as Spurs look to improve on last season's dismal league finish.
Andy Robertson has arrived from Liverpool, while Argentine centre-half Marcos Senesi is joining from Bournemouth. On Tuesday, Tottenham also moved to agree a £52m deal for Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton.
Those additions further strengthen a defensive unit that already includes Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Dragusin. Yet uncertainty remains over how that group will look by the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
And how Vuskovic fits in the plans.
As he prepares for a big game with Croatia, a strong performance is only likely to attract further attention.
Dean Jones is a transfer news and football insider for Flashscore, since 2025. He has been a journalist on leading UK newspapers and websites over the past 20 years, establishing himself as an authoritative and trusted voice in the industry.
