Chelsea and Arsenal are reportedly leading the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall, as per TEAMtalk.
The Blues enjoyed success under Enzo Maresca last term, winning the Conference League and Club World Cup, but they have endured a dire campaign this season.
Liam Rosenior’s side are in danger of missing out on Champions League football. So, it has been suggested that Chelsea are planning to remain active this summer to revamp the squad and turn the situation around next campaign.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that Chelsea are ‘keen’ on signing Bergvall by taking advantage of Tottenham’s current difficult situation and have been monitoring his situation closely before making a concrete approach during the offseason.
Tottenham have surprisingly found themselves in a relegation scrap, sitting two points behind safety, as a result, speculation surrounding their key players’ future has been emerging.
However, Spurs consider the Swedish international as a key player for their long-term future and have no intention of parting ways with him. Bergvall is even happy to stay at the Lilywhites, but Tottenham might be forced to sell him this summer if they eventually fail to stay in the Premier League to balance the books.
Apart from Chelsea, Arsenal are also in this race and have been keeping a close eye on his situation. Moreover, Aston Villa, Fiorentina, Barcelona, and Liverpool are interested in him as well.
Battle
But Arsenal and Chelsea are currently the frontrunners in this race, having already done the groundwork for this deal. Considering the fierce rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham, Roberto De Zerbi’s side don’t want to sell Bergvall to Mikel Arteta’s side.
As a result, Chelsea are currently ahead of Arsenal in this race and are even preparing to launch ‘imaginative proposals’ to tempt Spurs to let him leave.
Bergvall is valued at around £35m by Transfermarkt and still has a contract until 2031. Meaning, Tottenham are likely to demand a big fee to let him leave.
Bergvall is a box-to-box midfielder by trait but is also comfortable in the defensive midfield position. Furthermore, he can provide cover in the CAM position if needed.
The 20-year-old is a highly talented player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal or Chelsea should either club eventually manage to secure his service.