Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed he has not yet spoken with Lucas Bergvall about his future at Tottenham Hotspur, but that he plans to do so in the coming days – with those conversations set to determine whether the young Swede stays or leaves this summer.
De Zerbi made the comments at a press conference in Auckland ahead of Spurs’ pre-season friendly against Auckland FC, his first significant media appearance since the end of last season. Bergvall’s situation was discussed at the press conference, which tells you everything about how loudly it is simmering in the background.
De Zerbi’s Position Is Clear
The Spurs manager was direct, if not exactly warm, on the subject. Speaking in Auckland, De Zerbi said he wants only players who are proud and motivated to be at the club, and that anyone who is not should leave. On Bergvall specifically, he said the following:
“I have not spoken with Lucas yet. And we will make the best decision for the club, for Lucas, for me, for every one of us. Without problems, Lucas is a big, big talent. There will be a big competition to play because at the end I think we will be two players for each position. If he wants to stay, I will be happy. Otherwise, we have to find a new solution with Johan Lange, with Vinai. It’s not my business after the decision to leave.” – Roberto De Zerbi, via Cartilage Free Captain
That last line is about as clear a signal as you are going to get. De Zerbi is not going to chase Bergvall. The door is open; whether the player walks through it or out of it is, increasingly, his call.
What Happens Next
Bergvall has reportedly been seeking a move in pursuit of regular first-team football, a concern that has substance given how crowded Spurs’ midfield looks heading into the new season. De Zerbi has already flagged that he expects two players per position across the squad, and the club has spent significant money this summer and is working on the transfer market – six first-team arrivals so far, with De Zerbi saying in the same press conference that he expects at least two more, primarily in attacking areas.
For Bergvall, that context matters. Whether that valuation finds a buyer, and whether Bergvall’s conversation with De Zerbi shifts anything, will become clearer once the tour wraps up and the window enters its final weeks.
Elsewhere at the press conference, De Zerbi confirmed that both Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr were absent from the tour after requesting an extra week – Bentancur after a difficult season, Sarr due to a personal matter. On Mohammed Kudus, he said the winger is close to being available to train with the squad on the team’s return to London. Dejan Kulusevski, who has not played competitive football for over a year following a serious patella injury, remains subject to careful monitoring over the coming weeks.
The Bergvall question is the one that lingers. A conversation that should have happened already is now being scheduled during a pre-season tour of New Zealand, which is either a scheduling quirk or a sign of how much ground there is to cover. Either way, the outcome will tell us a fair amount about what kind of club De Zerbi is actually building.
