Lucas Bergvall has told Tottenham he wants to leave the club this summer, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic – the reporter whose sourcing on these matters does not require a footnote.
The 20-year-old Swedish international, who signed from Djurgården for roughly £8.5 million and has since run his contract through to 2031, is understood to want regular first-team football that Roberto De Zerbi is currently not in a position – or mood – to offer him. Sky Sports have separately reported that Bergvall has asked to leave in search of consistent minutes.
The Bergvall Problem
This is not a fringe player quietly agitating for a move. Bergvall made 78 appearances across his first two Tottenham seasons, was named the club’s Player of the Season in the 2025 Europa League campaign, and was already a Sweden international before most clubs his age would have handed him a debut. The idea that he now cannot get on the pitch is not a reflection of ability.
What it reflects is a transfer strategy that, while understandable after two successive 17th-place finishes, does not leave much room for a 20-year-old who needs matches. De Zerbi is targeting Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Adam Wharton in midfield, and has made clear his preference for senior options such as Rodrigo Bentancur. Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Mathys Tel are the collateral of that approach.
Tottenham hold strong leverage – that 2031 contract puts them firmly in the driving seat on any fee – with an asking price of around £45 million being discussed. Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are among the clubs already circling, per reports. Whether the club actually want to sell a player of Bergvall’s ceiling to a direct competitor is a different question, though recent history suggests the answer will somehow still disappoint.
What Happens Next
Bergvall’s camp are expected to assess options once Sweden’s international commitments end. De Zerbi’s rebuild is moving quickly elsewhere – Jan Paul van Hecke has already been confirmed at £52 million – which makes the timeline on this one fairly pressing. No formal bid has yet been submitted, but at £45 million, any serious club will need to move before the window narrows.
Spurs are simultaneously pursuing their own young targets, which makes the Bergvall situation all the more pointed: the club is not opposed to elite youth in principle, just apparently to the ones already in the building. If this ends with Bergvall developing into a Champions League midfielder somewhere other than N17, nobody who has watched this club operate will claim to be surprised.
