Liverpool reportedly have a keen eye on prodigious Brighton & Hove Albion defender Luka Vušković, but signing the 19-year-old will prove challenging for two key reasons.

Vušković joined the Seagulls from Tottenham Hotspur for £46 million ($62 million) over the summer, having earned widespread acclaim for his outstanding performances on loan at Hamburg last season. He’s wasted no time in winning admirers in the Premier League, either.

The Croatia international has been instrumental to Brighton’s incredible start to the current campaign, which currently has them perched second in the Premier League. They have conceded just seven times in 10 outings—only Arsenal boast a stronger defensive record—and Vušković has helped them to a division-high seven clean sheets.

The powerful yet elegant center back is attracting interest from Liverpool, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, and he’s being “monitored regularly” ahead of the 2027 summer window—four years before his current Brighton deal expires.

The Hurdles Facing Liverpool in Vuskovic Pursuit

Signing Vušković will be far from straightforward for Liverpool, who would be forced to fork out a nine-figure sum for the third year running.

Vušković has no release clause in his contract, meaning Liverpool’s new sporting director Julian Ward would be tasked with negotiating directly with transfer experts Brighton. Reportedly, they would demand a fee of around £85 million for Vušković’s signature—a figure that is likely to rise if he continues to perform at his current level.

Considering how much money the Reds have spent over recent seasons, most notably on reinventing their offense with Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, they will be reluctant to part ways with another vast sum.

Perhaps more concerning, though, is the revelation that Vušković’s “dream” is to join Real Madrid one day.

Liverpool have rarely enjoyed their tussles with Real Madrid in the transfer market. The Spanish giants have poached some of their top talents over the years, most recently Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konaté on free transfers, and have also outmuscled them in deals for the likes of Jude Bellingham, Dean Huijsen and Yan Diomande.

Considering the promise being shown by Vušković, there’s every chance Madrid choose to target him at the end of the current campaign, especially with Antonio Rüdiger expected to depart at the end of his contract next year.

Do Liverpool Really Need Vušković?

Liverpool have spent much of the last 18 months scouring the globe for young center backs capable of replacing Virgil van Dijk when he inevitably departs Anfield in the relatively near future. The 35-year-old club captain is out of contract next summer, but hasn’t ruled out extending his stay.

“Let’s see what the season brings,” Van Dijk said after last weekend’s win at Crystal Palace. “I’ve had an amazing time already so far. If that will be extended, that’s the case. If not, then I will go somewhere else.”

If the Dutchman does leave, then Liverpool already have players ready to become his long-term successor.

Jérémy Jacquet, 21, has made an incredible start to his Liverpool career after joining the club last summer, while big things are expected of Giovanni Leoni, 19, when he returns from the cruel ACL injury suffered on his debut last term.

Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 18, is another highly-rated youngster in Liverpool’s ranks. After impressing during preseason, the Austrian joined Levante on loan to earn enough points for a work visa which would allow him to play competitive games on Merseyside. He could even be recalled in January as he’s now eligible for a work permit in the United Kingdom.

Elsewhere, Mor Talla Ndiaye, 18, was signed last January as another center back for the future, while Ronald Araújo’s loan move from Barcelona could well become permanent next summer, offering Liverpool depth in multiple defensive positions.

With so much talent bursting through, do Liverpool really need to fork out on Vušković? Perhaps recruiting an experienced head to lead the current crop of youngsters would prove more beneficial.