Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi says he wants midfielder Lucas Bergvall to stay at the club and develop into a ‘top player’ but will not promise the Sweden international a starting role.
De Zerbi has spent big this summer in recruiting Sandro Tonali from Newcastle and Mateus Fernandes from London rivals West Ham.
That has seemingly pushed Bergvall, 20, down the pecking order and he has been linked with moves to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Bergvall started as Spurs’ pre-season continued with a penalty shootout win in Sydney and De Zerbi said after the game that his midfielder’s future remains unclear.
“I’m always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us,” said De Zerbi.
“I think he’s potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don’t want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay.
“He can find the space if he stays with us. The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad – not just 11 players – especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons.
“Football is going in a clear direction – to compete for the highest places in the table, you have to manage 22, 23, 24 players. I don’t want 24, but 21, 22 of a high level.”
Bergvall started in a deeper midfield role in Sydney alongside Archie Gray, a position it is reported that he facours. But De Zerbi has doubts over his ability to play there.
De Zerbi continued: “He wants space. He wants to play as a double pivot as a position. I can’t give, for any player in the world, their place in the first XI guaranteed.
“I want to be honest with the players. I want to be clear. I don’t want to make the first mistake. In terms of position, I can’t give a guarantee. It’s right when he wants to play as a central midfielder.
“But to play as a central midfielder, sometimes it is to attack, sometimes to keep the holder, to move the ball faster. He has to improve.”
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