Roberto De Zerbi gives Tottenham star a big choice as other Premier League teams show interest
After Tottenham’s game against Sydney FC on Wednesday, Roberto De Zerbi gave one Spurs player a clear message. The team is well into their pre-season for the 2026/27 Premier League season.
Following wins over MK Dons and Auckland, Spurs drew 1-1 with Sydney FC in Australia. Mathys Tel scored for Tottenham, and they won 4-2 on penalties, gearing up for their big match against Chelsea on August 1.
It’s been a busy summer at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with De Zerbi getting plenty of money to build a strong squad that can aim for European spots, especially after two tough seasons finishing 17th.
Tottenham spent a huge £237 million on new players, breaking their transfer record twice to sign Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. They also brought in Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, and Andy Robertson.
More moves might still happen, with Savinho asking to leave Manchester City to join Spurs.
While lots of new players have arrived, some have left the club, and more departures may come, including young talent Lucas Bergvall. The 20-year-old made it clear in June that he wanted to move on. Spurs have turned down offers from Newcastle and Nottingham Forest for him so far.
Bergvall played four games for Sweden in the World Cup but only started 11 Premier League matches last season. He wants more regular first-team action.
De Zerbi can’t promise Bergvall a starting spot because the team now has many options, especially with Fernandes and Tonali arriving.
Although Bergvall started in the recent Sydney game alongside Archie Gray, De Zerbi’s comments after the match suggest things might not change much.
The coach wants Bergvall to stay, but he won’t force him if he wants to leave. “I’d like him to stay,” De Zerbi said. “He has great potential. But Tottenham is already a top club, and we don’t need to convince anyone to stay. Competition will be strong because we need a solid squad, not just 11 players, especially after the injuries we’ve had in recent seasons.”
If Bergvall stays, he might not develop as much as he wants, so leaving for regular football seems likely. Reports say Spurs could let him go for around £60 million, which is a big price for a player with just 50 Premier League games.