Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has expressed his desire for midfielder Lucas Bergvall to stay with the club, despite the player's reported interest in leaving this summer.
The 20-year-old Sweden international, who featured in Spurs' recent preseason matches, has attracted attention from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. His future at Tottenham has been uncertain following the arrivals of new midfield signings Matheus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.
De Zerbi, speaking after Tottenham's 4-2 penalty shootout win over Sydney FC in the Sydney Super Cup, made it clear that while he values Bergvall's potential, he cannot promise a guaranteed place in the starting lineup.
De Zerbi said: "I want him to stay. I believe he can become a top player. However, I cannot guarantee any player a starting spot. Tottenham is a top club regardless of me, and we don't persuade players to remain."
In the preseason fixture, French forward Mathys Tel scored a free-kick to give Spurs the lead before Sydney FC equalised through new signing Takahiro Sekine. Tottenham had earlier beaten Auckland FC 2-0 as they prepare for their Premier League opener against Brentford on August 22.
The coach highlighted the positive performances from the squad, especially the younger players, despite rotating the team in the second half.
New signing Sandro Tonali missed the first tour game due to a minor injury but played the entire second half against Sydney. Andy Robertson made his debut as a substitute, while Fernandes did not feature due to fatigue and a calf issue, with De Zerbi opting to rest him to avoid risks. Fernandes is also expected to miss the upcoming match against Chelsea.
Several players, including James Maddison, Kevin Danso, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Dominic Solanke, were also rested as they are not yet fully fit to play.
De Zerbi emphasised cautious player management ahead of the new season, stating some may feature in the next game but only when fully ready.
