Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are both showing early interest in Lucas Bergvall after the 20-year-old Swedish midfielder expressed his desire to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to Cartilage Free Captain, citing a report from The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell.
Spurs are demanding £45m for a permanent transfer – a significant premium on the £8.5m they paid Djurgården to sign him in January 2024. Bergvall extended his contract last season and is tied down until 2031, which gives the club leverage but does not appear to be changing anyone’s mind about the direction of travel.
A Season That Went Nowhere Good
The story of Bergvall’s time at Spurs since Ange Postecoglou left is a familiar one: a young player promised a pathway, handed three different managers in a single season, and left wondering where he fits. Thomas Frank’s handling drew particular scrutiny. Football.London’s Alasdair Gold reported that Frank, unlike previous coaches, gave Bergvall little individual attention:
“In contrast to his previous coaches, who had all looked to put an arm around the talented teenager, football.london understands the Dane did not speak to the young midfielder as much individually. Whether it was a ploy to keep Bergvall on his toes – it instead created unease over whether the youngster was actually in Frank’s plans or not.” – Alasdair Gold, Football.London
When he did play, it was frequently wide or high rather than in his preferred deeper role as an eight. Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival steadied the ship for the club’s survival push, but younger players including Bergvall and Archie Gray were largely spectators for it.
What Happens Next
Bergvall is currently with Sweden at the World Cup and has indicated he wants to assess his future once that tournament ends. His camp are pushing for a permanent exit only – no loan – which means any interested club has to meet Spurs’ £45m valuation. Chelsea were rebuffed when they made contact in the winter window, so Spurs have shown they are not desperate sellers; they are simply in the position of a club that sets its price and waits.
Forest make the most structural sense: if Elliot Anderson departs as expected, there is a direct vacancy in the deeper midfield role Bergvall actually wants to play. Villa’s interest feels more conditional, likely dependent on what happens with Youri Tielemans’ contract situation. Meanwhile, Spurs’ own pursuit of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes suggests De Zerbi’s midfield vision does not have Bergvall at its centre – which makes selling a great deal easier to justify internally, even if watching a 20-year-old with a 2031 contract leave for another Premier League club is the sort of thing that tends to look poor in hindsight.
