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Vušković might only be a teenager but he put in a mature performance upon his introduction to the Brighton fans. The Croatian international towered over teammates and opponents alike but it was his front foot defending which stood out as he played the first 45 minutes against Roma. It was a game which demonstrated just how many options are available to Brighton at centre-back. Olivier Boscagli was another who impressed, Patrick Struijk was signed from Leeds and club captain Lewis Dunk appeared in the second half. Competition in defence Vušković discussed the need to embrace the inevitable competition in training when so many players are vying to start. He said: “Whoever's the best in the games, in training, will start. “It’s great to have competition in our position, we have a lot of good players and whoever is the best will play.” Record transfer fee The 19-year-old signed from Tottenham Hotspur while playing for his country at the World Cup. Brighton paid a record fee to get his signature, having already sent Jan Paul van Hecke the other way. Vušković was quick to dismiss any suggestions of the pressure that might come with the reported £46 million transfer fee. He said: “I think it doesn’t matter so much because it’s just a number, I have to prove myself.” Leadership qualities Having spent last season on loan at Hamburg, Vušković has already begun to develop something of a reputation for his leadership. With the likes of James Milner and Danny Welbeck - who have captained Brighton in the past - leaving in the summer, this could be a great benefit for Hürzeler’s side. Despite joining the squad as a new addition, he discussed his hopes to maintain such leadership qualities during his time in England. He said: “Yeah, I've been trying to do that since I came here … it’s how I am as a person.” Loan spells As well as spending the 2025/26 season at Hamburg, Vušković has played for multiple clubs on a loan basis after coming through the academy at Hajduk Split. Having already agreed a deal to join Spurs two years later, he joined the top division of Polish football at the start of 2024 and later signed for Westerlo to play throughout the entirety of the 2024/25 season. As for many young players, these experiences played a big part in his development. He said: “All those moves, I think were very important, each of them, and I’m very happy that I went through it all.” Coming up for Brighton With one more pre-season friendly to play, Brighton continue to prepare for a UEFA Conference League qualifier where they are likely to face Tromsø over two legs. Should the Seagulls qualify for the competition, there will be plenty of minutes to go around for their plethora of defensive options.