Lucas Bergvall has told Tottenham Hotspur he wants to leave the club this summer, delivering a blow to manager Roberto De Zerbi as the club also saw an £80m bid for Sandro Tonali rejected by Newcastle United.
The 20-year-old Sweden international, who joined from Djurgarden in 2024 for £8.5m, is seeking a new challenge after finding playing time hard to come by under De Zerbi, particularly late last season when he was often used as a second-half substitute and deployed out of his preferred number six role. Bergvall missed two months with ankle surgery but still made 33 appearances for Spurs last term.
“Lucas Bergvall has told Tottenham he wants to leave as their £80m bid for Sandro Tonali is rejected by Newcastle”
He is currently at the World Cup in North America, where he featured in Sweden’s 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands in Houston on Saturday. A decision on his club future is expected once the tournament concludes.
Bergvall’s representatives have held talks with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, though Chelsea are no longer interested after briefly exploring a move in January. His contract runs until 2031, and his market value is estimated at around £52m, though his desire to move could see that figure negotiated down.
The transfer request comes as Tottenham attempt to rebuild after a dismal campaign that saw them finish 17th in the Premier League, avoiding relegation only with a final-day 1-0 victory over Everton. Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham vowed “change is happening” in a BBC Sport interview in May, and the club have already spent £52m on defender Jan Paul van Hecke, while signing Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers.
Central to the overhaul is a top-tier midfielder, and Spurs tabled an offer worth about £80m for Italy international Sandro Tonali. Newcastle swiftly rejected the bid, with the Magpies understood to want closer to £100m as Manchester City and Arsenal monitor developments. Newcastle’s chief executive, David Hopkinson, has made clear they will only trade players on “our terms”.
Tonali is effectively contracted until 2030 after signing a new deal during his 10-month betting ban, strengthening Newcastle’s negotiating position. The rejection marks a shift for Spurs, who have never spent more than the £65m paid for Dominic Solanke, but also underlines the scale of the task facing De Zerbi as he attempts to reshape a squad that came perilously close to the Championship.