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Luka Vuskovic sends selection message Brighton fans will love ahead of 2026-27 kick-off Luka Vuskovic knows £50m price is no guarantee of a starting spot Brighton's £50m record signing Luka Vuskovic is ready to battle for his spot. The 19-year-old Croatian joined from Tottenham on a five-year deal and impressed on his Amex Stadium debut during a 3-0 pre-season win against Roma. Vuskovic looked comfortable alongside French centre back Olivier Boscagli at the heart defence before he was replaced in the second half by skipper Lewis Dunk. Defensive revamp Brighton revamped their defence during the summer window as Vuskovic was joined by £18m man Pascal Struijk from Leeds United. Defender Michael Svoboda also joined for around £5m and Costinha for roughly £10m. Vuskovic - who will likely feature in Albion's final pre-season friendly against Bologna at the Amex this Saturday - knows the £50m price tag guarantees nothing and will fight for a centre back starting slot with Dunk, Boscagli, Struijk and Svoboda. "Yeah, whoever is the best on the games, on the training, he will start," said Vuskovic after the Roma victory. "It's great to have competition in our position. We have a lot of good players and whoever is the best, he will play. It's as simple as that." £50m is just a number The former Spurs man has settled in well following his arrival and said he feels no pressure from the hefty price tag - a fee that surpassed the previous record of the £40m Brighton paid to land Georginio from Leeds United in 2024. "It's been really easy because my team-mates and the coaching staff and all the club have been helping me. "I think it [the transfer fee] doesn't matter so much because it's just a number. "I have to prove myself and I have to do my best. I will try to do it and that's it." Vuskovic is yet to play in the Premier League but impressed last season in the Bundesliga with Hamburg, where he was referred to as "the general" because of his leadership qualities. 100 per cent focus "Yeah, I've been trying to do that since I came here and I will try to do it," he added. It's how I am as a person and that's it. "They [Brighton's experienced professionals] just told me that I need to be focused 100 per cent of the time and that's it, just focus. "It's just like usual stuff we do on the training, we try to do it all together in the same way so we understand how we play. "But I think in the Premier League the focus is 100 per cent the most important thing."