Roberto de Zerbi has told any Tottenham player who is not fully committed to the project this summer to find themselves a new club – with Lucas Bergvall’s uncertain future providing the obvious backdrop to the statement.
The Italian made his position clear ahead of Spurs’ pre-season friendly against Auckland FC in New Zealand on Sunday, according to BBC Sport. It was direct, it was unambiguous, and it was very much on the record.
“I was very clear at the start of my time in Tottenham. I said, who doesn’t want to stay in Tottenham? Who is not happy, is not proud to stay here, has to leave. I want the players to be proud and happy to stay here, to go on the pitch in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with big motivation. Because now in football, if you think also in the World Cup, the motivation makes the difference. The motivation is to be happy to stay in one team.” – Roberto de Zerbi, BBC Sport
This is not a new line from De Zerbi – it is a recurring theme . He has already made clear to at least one player they have no future at the club under him, so the language here is less threat and more operating policy.
The Bergvall Question
Bergvall is the immediate subject of all this, whether De Zerbi names him or not. Nottingham Forest had a £38m bid rejected for the 20-year-old Sweden midfielder, with BBC Sport reporting Forest are set to return with an offer in the region of £45m. Bergvall joined from Djurgarden in 2024 and featured only sporadically under De Zerbi last season – starting the Italian’s first game, a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, then making four substitute appearances thereafter.
De Zerbi acknowledged he had not yet spoken to Bergvall directly, but framed the situation plainly: if the player wants to stay, he is welcome; if not, a solution will be found with sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham. That De Zerbi operates with real authority over squad decisions means these words carry weight – they are not a manager going through the motions for a press conference.
Spurs have already committed serious money to midfield this summer, bringing in Sandro Tonali for £100m from Newcastle United and Mateus Fernandes for £85m from West Ham. The competition for minutes in that area of the pitch is considerably stiffer than when Bergvall arrived. The broader picture around Bergvall’s future at the club reflects a De Zerbi approach where sentiment does not substitute for buy-in.
The Wider Squad Picture
De Zerbi confirmed the transfer window is not closed, with Spurs targeting further additions in attacking positions – at least a couple more, possibly more than that. Mohammed Kudus is close to returning from a thigh injury and is expected to be available when the squad returns to London. Dejan Kulusevski, recovering from a knee problem after missing nearly a full season, requires more careful management before any timeline is confirmed.
Xavi Simons, meanwhile, described the ACL injury he suffered in April as producing the worst four days of his life – unable to sleep, unable to eat, in significant physical pain throughout. He missed the 2026 World Cup as a result and faces a long road back. De Zerbi’s squad culture demands commitment; Simons, at least, has had commitment tested in ways most footballers never will.
