Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler believes the Premier League will be an education for teenage record signing Luka Vušković after his first goal in English football rescued a 1-1 draw against Leeds.
Croatia defender Vušković — a £46 million ($62m) summer arrival from Tottenham — equalised 19 minutes from time at the Amex Stadium by heading home Maxim De Cuyper’s corner.
Jayden Bogle gave unbeaten Leeds a 15th-minute lead before Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach missed golden chances to double their advantage.
Centre-back Vušković, 19, did not make a senior appearance for Spurs and spent last season on loan at German club Hamburg.
“What he has is the physicality to quickly adapt to the Premier League,” said Hurzeler. “But definitely we shouldn’t underestimate he’s a really, really young boy.
“For his young age, he plays very mature and he definitely adapts quick. He still has moments — similar to the whole team performance — where he switches off a little bit, moments where he’s not 100% into the game, moments where he also has a lack of experience, but this will come over time.
“He played his third Premier League match, he played against a striker [Calvert-Lewin] who is so experienced. That’s definitely something he will learn from and the Premier League will educate him.
“We try to help, we try to give him support, and then he can be a top player.”
Having scored 11 goals in their previous three matches in all competitions, injury-hit Brighton struggled to create in the opening period.
Vušković’s milestone goal rewarded an improved second-half showing before Pascal Gross squandered an excellent opportunity for a late winner.
Albion have taken four points from their opening three top-flight fixtures, while Leeds have a point more.
“We definitely need to start better into Premier League games,” said Hurzeler, whose side went 3-0 down in last weekend’s 4-3 loss at Chelsea.
“Two completely different halves is not enough, so that’s definitely what we have to change.”
Calvert-Lewin was sent clean through in the 23rd minute but, after rounding Bart Verbruggen, his attempted finish into the unguarded net was hacked off the line by Lewis Dunk.
Ao Tanaka struck the crossbar before the break and had a goal disallowed for offside in the second period after Stach was denied by Verbruggen.
Leeds have now gone 11 games without winning away to Brighton dating back to 2009, losing seven times and drawing the other four.
– Teenager Luka Vušković rescues a point for Brighton in 1-1 draw against Leeds
– Yankuba Minteh can ‘fulfil his dream’ next year after Liverpool bid rejected – Brighton boss
– Bold predictions, 2026-27: Ballon d’Or for Olise, Brentford in Champions League
Manager Daniel Farke was left with mixed emotions.
“A point away at Brighton is a really good point for us given our recent record here,” he said.
“It’s ages ago since we took something and even ages since we last scored a goal here [2012], so for that a point is definitely a good result. But more was possible, I would say.
“At half-time we should have been out of sight and the second half was a similar topic.
“Anton Stach normally buries the game with this chance. Ao Tanaka, we all get the feeling he has buried the game but then they found somehow a line and it was one inch offside. And even in the final minutes, Lukas Nmecha with a great chance to win the game, so it was possible.
“If you don’t bury the game, then Brighton has enough quality to come back and score.”
