Chelsea have reportedly rekindled their interest in Luka Vuskovic, following their failed pursuit of the Croatia international this summer.

Vuskovic was heavily linked with a Stamford Bridge switch following an eye-catching loan spell at Hamburg, but the Blues were unable to finalise a deal with Tottenham Hotspur and the 19-year-old eventually joined Brighton & Hove Albion for €54 million instead.

Since his arrival at the AMEX, the Croatia centre-back has quickly established himself as a vital player under Fabian Hurzeler and he has immediately formed an immense partnership with club captain Lewis Dunk at the heart of Brighton’s defence.

Vuskovic has scored one goal and provided one assist in 12 games across all competitions for the Seagulls, and he is a key reason why Brighton are currently third in the Premier League table, having picked up 16 points from their opening seven English top flight fixtures of the new season.

His form hasn’t gone unnoticed either, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea all keeping close tabs on his situation, as per TEAMtalk.

It’s reported that all three clubs are watching Vuskovic with keen interest as they plot a possible approach next summer, with Bayern currently regarded as the frontrunners amid the uncertain long-term future of Kim Min-jae.

Chelsea remain eager to sign the 19-year-old too, despite the summer arrival of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, and Vuskovic could become the latest Brighton player to move to Stamford Bridge during the BlueCo era if Xabi Alonso’s side are able to finalise a big-money deal.

Luka Vuskovic happy at Brighton

Vuskovic has settled in immediately at Brighton, and he confirmed his appreciation for the club ahead of their 0-0 draw to Jablonec in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

When asked if he felt he had a point to prove to Tottenham following their decision to sell him this summer, Vuskovic told The Argus: “I wouldn’t look at it like that.

“Tottenham really helped me when I was a teenager. For two years I’ve been with them and the loans and they helped me a lot. I’m really grateful to them.

“I’m in Brighton now and I feel great. It’s an unbelievable club who believe in me. In the end, I don’t know why Tottenham didn’t want me, but Brighton believed in me. Also, a few years back I knew they wanted to sign me.”

Vuskovic still has over four-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at Brighton, and his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €47.2m.