Sport Witness

Aston Villa and Chelsea have been willing to pay £40m to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall, making their first transfer moves in the January window.

Sportbladet report that both sides made approaches to Tottenham in the January window, which Spurs flat out refused.

Europe’s big clubs watching

According to Sportbladet’s information, several of Europe’s big clubs have the 20-year-old Tottenham midfielder on their radar.

His development at Tottenham over the past year have made him a player of interest, despite Spurs’ struggles.

Aston Villa and Chelsea are among those who are keen and wanted to buy the Sweden international in the January transfer window. They both informed Tottenham that they were keen to go ahead.

Both clubs were prepared to pay £40m for Lucas Bergvall at the time. But Tottenham ‘flatly refused’ their efforts or to start any negotiations regarding the Swede.

Relegation likely key

Their stance is unlikely to have changed yet, but relegation could be key. Spurs are firmly in a relegation battle, with just a point separating them from the bottom three.

If they drop to the Championship at the end of the season, a summer fire-sale is likely. Lucas Bergvall will be among those who are targeted.

Aston Villa and Chelsea have already shown a willingness to pay £40m, they’d likely be first in the queue in such a scenario. The Blues were already linked with a move in February.

And relegation to the Championship could force Tottenham’s hand. They’ll need to balance the books and reduce costs as much as possible.

For now, though, it seems Tottenham are resisting. They’ve already rejected efforts from their Premier League counterparts. Whether they can do so again in the summer will be determined by how well Roberto de Zerbi does in keeping them up.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall says he has to stay alert to avoid being victim of potential crimes in the UK.

The Sweden international has seen his Spurs teammates and compatriots being victims of robberies.

This includes Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie, Aston Villa’s Victor Nilsson Lindelöf and Malmö FF’s Robin Olsen.

The latter spent five years in England with Everton, Sheffield United and Aston Villa while Lindelöf joined Unai Emery’s side after a eight-year spell at Manchester United.

During Olsen’s time with the Toffees, his family were victims of a robbery. Lindelöf’s wife, Maja, had to lock herself and her kids in the bathroom when robbers attacked their home in Manchester.

Tottenham man taking necessary precautions

Lucas Bergvall is aware of these incidents and wants to be prepared for the worst possible scenario. Expressen have relayed his comments.

“You have to have the best security you can, cameras and so on. Then you just have to stay alert all the time and see if anyone is following you or anything; if so, you have to be ready,” he said.

Expressen points out Udogie being a victim earlier this season, and on that incident, Bergvall explained: “It’s tragic and sad; you have to try to be as prepared as you can. You try not to think about it too much, but you do what you can.”

When asked whether he has ‘personally experienced anything scary’, the 20-year-old said he has to stay alert.

“No. Well, it could have been someone you thought was following you, but it hasn’t been like that. You just have to stay alert,” he added.

World Cup qualification with Sweden

On Tuesday, Sweden secured a berth in the World Cup with a 3-2 win over Poland. Prior to the clash, Lucas Bergvall said he was ready to play the entire match, after returning from an ankle injury. However, manager Graham Potter only handed him 21 minutes yesterday.

Potter was without Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski and Liverpool striker Alexander Isak for the two matches in March. The 20-year-old has backed the duo to make it to the World Cup squad.

“Incredibly cool, I saw that he [Isak] was now back on the training ground and that he will soon be back in the game. Yes, incredibly cool,” he told Fotboll Direkt.

“Of course, the goal is for him [Kulusevski] to come back, to come back to the World Cup. He is a part of this, 100%.”

What next for Swede

Lucas Bergvall will return to Tottenham, who appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager on Tuesday.

The Swede’s immediate focus will be to help Spurs avoid relegation from the Premier League. The north London club are 17th in the table, a point above 18th placed West Ham United.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Drăgușin is having to face questions about his long-term future, during a difficult season for him and his club.

The centre-back has seen his role fluctuate this season. Injuries and suspensions have handed him more Tottenham minutes, yet performances have been inconsistent. Spurs’ defensive struggles have only increased the spotlight, especially with the club still looking over their shoulder in the table.

That backdrop makes the latest claims from his agent particularly interesting, as they suggest Drăgușin has already turned down a huge opportunity to leave.

Romanian outlet iAM Sport report that the Tottenham player’s representative, Florin Manea, has revealed a major offer from Saudi Arabia, alongside interest from Germany.

€50m proposal rejected without hesitation

Speaking on the iAM Ștucan podcast, Florin Manea detailed an approach that would have dramatically changed the defender’s career.

“You want me to tell you something? We refused €50m over five years for Radu. €10m per year.”

The agent explained that the offer came from Saudi Arabia and was significantly higher than anything Drăgușin currently earns at Tottenham.

“Someone from Saudi Arabia called us and said they would give us €10m net per year to go there. We didn’t even consider it.”

He then made it clear just how far negotiations could have gone.

“€10m per year? Tell me how many would refuse that. It could have gone up to €15m, even €20m per year. It could have reached €100m over five years. I would have taken a commission of €20-30m. But we were not interested.”

For context, Drăgușin currently earns around £4.4m per year at Tottenham. That gap underlines the scale of what was turned down.

Interest from Germany in Tottenham transfer

Radu Drăgușin’s agent also confirmed that the defender attracted interest from the Bundesliga.

According to Florin Manea, RB Leipzig made an approach during the winter window. While no deal materialised, the relationship remains active.

“There was an offer for him in the winter from Leipzig. Now we will see if they want to try again or not.”

AC Milan wwere also linked a while ago. That leaves the door open for a future move within Europe, especially if Drăgușin’s situation at Tottenham does not fully stabilise.

What this means for Tottenham

Radu Drăgușin’s stance, as described by his agent, suggests money is not currently driving his decisions. Turning down such a lucrative offer points to a desire to succeed at the highest level in Europe.

For Tottenham, that could be seen as a positive. The player appears committed, as he said himself, even during a difficult season for the club.

However, interest from clubs like RB Leipzig adds another layer. If his performances do not improve, or if Spurs continue to struggle defensively, the situation could evolve quickly.

For now, though, the message is clear: despite massive financial temptation, Drăgușin has chosen to stay on the European stage and fight for his place in north London.

Tottenham Hotspur star Xavi Simons has found himself in Rafael van der Vaart’s sights, and the former Tottenham midfielder is not impressed.

De Telegraaf report on comments from Van der Vaart today. he has been criticising Simons on Ziggo Sport’s Rondo. And he admitted he admitted he expected far more from the 22-year-old.

“He disappoints me,” he said.

“I had expected much more from him. He wants so badly to show how good he is. That has the opposite effect

“He was the young talent, and everyone was talking about him. He is still playing a bit like that.”

“Nothing at all”

That disappointment is partly due to what came before Tottenham. Simons had established himself as a star man at RB Leipzig, with 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 games for the club.

He also impressed on loan at PSV Eindhoven, with 22 goals and 11 assists in 48 games in total for the Dutch side. His record at Tottenham, so far, is four goals and five assists in 38 games.

Van der Vaart was watching and can’t understand how it’s gone badly at Tottenham.

“At Leipzig he really had a good spell. Tottenham is nothing at all. After PSV, he also showed it in the Bundesliga,” he added.

Van der Vaart is not the only one unsure about Xavi Simons either. Dutch icon Ruud Gullit has also been watching. And he’s been left with questions as a result.

“He is hyped. I still don’t really know how good he could be,” he concluded.

Premier League numbers disappoint

A cold look at the numbers certainly don’t make for happy reading with Xavi Simons, certainly in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old has managed just one goal and four assists in 25 games this season. Those are not the kind of numbers Tottenham expect from a player who cost €65m in the summer. RB Leipzig certainly don’t regret the deal.

Transfermarkt now value him at €50m. That alone should show how much Simons has struggled this season.

Now Van der Vaart has his sights on him, and he wants everyone to know he’s unimpressed. We’re sure Tottenham fans will share the sentiment.

Evan Ndicka’s future can lie away from AS Roma in the summer. Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool are in the mix for the defender.

The centre-back has been one of Roma’s most consistent players since joining for free in 2023. Now, he has become a leader in the squad, having played 35 times in all competitions this season. He hasn’t missed a single game due to injury, with his absences mainly coming due to national team commitments and suspensions.

That has been the story of his time at Roma, as Ndicka has starred under different managers.

Now, he could be on his way out of the Stadio Olimpico, with three English clubs in the mix for his signature.

Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United interested

Corriere dello Sport look at the Ivory Coast international’s future, clarifying that Roma have been considering his future for many weeks now.

This is mainly because enquiries have been pouring in for his signature, with some of those coming from Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United. There is also interest from Bayern Munich and Besiktas, with all of this somewhat causing panic in Rome.

It is believed that there are no unsellable players at the Giallorossi. They are under the scanner due to Financial Fair Play regulations, with Ndicka’s sale likely to go down as a major capital gain. Since he arrived for free, no other players at Roma can hand them as big a profit in the summer.

That is why a ‘fee exceeding €40m’ can bring about his transfer, with Ndicka’s sale then easing some tensions at the club.

Antonio Zago wants Evan Ndicka to stay

Attention around the centre-back is definitely growing. Ex-Roma player Antonio Zago was asked about the 26-year-old is a recent interview with Corriere dello Sport.

He clarified that Evan Ndicka should be staying, even if the Giallorossi can look for a more experienced player.

“He’s young, he should stay and be confirmed, but I don’t know if they’ll look for a more experienced centre back.”

Our take: Roma may not have a choice

From a financial perspective, Roma might be forced into Evan Ndicka’s sale. They have key players like Manu Kone and Wesley in the side and they are equally important. But the Ivorian will hand them much more of a capital gain, especially as he is at the peak of his powers.

Considering his past few seasons, Ndicka is capable of playing for Liverpool, Manchester United or Tottenham. He was very important for Eintracht Frankfurt during his time with the Eagles, having proved himself in two different leagues now.

The Red Devils don’t need a centre-back signing as much as the two other English clubs. Liverpool can see Ibrahima Konate depart due to his contract expiry. Tottenham are also facing the possibility of losing Micky Van de Ven and/or Cristian Romero.

As Tottenham’s season continues to unravel and push them closer to the relegation zone, fans and pundits are asking serious questions.

Thomas Frank has already been blamed and sacked. Igor Tudor has now gone, likely to be replaced by Roberto de Zerbi.

But what about those above them? Sporting director Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham have decisions to answer for, having taken a top six club to the brink of the Championship.

The pair have largely flown under the radar with the press, although perhaps not with Tottenham’s fanbase.

They, after all, have wanted change for a while. But that was largely focused on Daniel Levy. He acted as the lightning rod for criticism, bearing the blame amid perceived failures. Now he’s gone, attention must turn to those who remained.

BBC analysis points the finger at the hierarchy

And back in Lange’s native Denmark, they’re becoming aware of his failures. Ekstra Bladet report on the 46-year-old today and how ‘could be the next fired’ at Tottenham.

They report on a piece from BBC football editor Phil McNulty, who writes this week that the spotlight has shifted away from the dugout at Tottenham and onto the boardroom.

According to him Johan Lange, appointed in 2023, is among those under pressure.

He describes Igor Tudor’s short-lived tenure as “a bizarre and potentially big and expensive mistake”. The responsibility, according to him, lies with Vinai Venkatesham and Lange.

Another misstep from those two in appointing Tottenham’s third manager of the season could have catastrophic consequences.

A decision that could define Tottenham’s future

“If Venkatesham and Lange make the wrong decision in their next appointment, it is conceivable that Tottenham could end up in the Championship,” McNulty writes. Such a relegation, he argues, would leave a scar “impossible to recover from”.

Tudor’s reign of five defeats, one draw and a single win from seven games, has only deepened the crisis. With no replacement announced yet, pressure is growing on Spurs leadership by the day.

And now Johan Lange’s failures have made it back to his homeland. Denmark is learning that one of their star men, is not shining brightly.

A summer of sackings

As Tottenham now search for stability, the question is whether the next dismissal is on the touchline or the in the boardroom.

The club’s owners will surely be assessing every level of the hierarchy, and Johan Lange may find himself uncomfortably close to the danger zone.

Questions are already being asked in the British media. Now it’s spreading to his homeland, and others will surely follow.

Tottenham Hotspur are making concrete advances to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager.

The Premier League side have endured a poor run this season, forcing them to part ways with Thomas Frank in February. Igor Tudor, who replaced the Dane, went out the exit door at the weekend.

Tottenham are in the process of appointing a new permanent manager, to help them avoid relegation.

After their last defeat to Nottingham Forest, they dropped to 17th spot, a point above 18th placed West Ham United.

On Monday, Sport Witness covered claims from Italy that De Zerbi is open to joining the north London club, who have offered him a five-year contract.

He has been without a club since leaving Marseille in February and could now join Spurs.

Latest on De Zerbi to Tottenham from Italy

Tuesday’s edition of Corriere della Sera also reports a five-year contract for the 46-year-old. This includes a salary worth £12m per year, signing on fee and an additional bonus if Tottenham Hotspur avoid relegation.

They are doing everything to appoint the Italian, who has asked for sporting and financial assurances.

His initial plan was to join the club after this season, also because he wanted to respect Tudor. However, the latter is no longer in charge, and his exit has ‘lessened the Brescian’s [De Zerbi] hesitation in accepting the offer’.

The two parties are working on an exit clause that allows De Zerbi to leave in the event of relegation. The report states ‘the feeling is that an agreement is imminent’.

Corriere dello Sport go a step ahead and claim Spurs have reached an agreement in principle with De Zerbi.

This is for a five-year deal that will include an option to terminate the contract in case Spurs drop out of the Premier League.

De Zerbi initially felt it’s best to start from the scratch after this season but Tottenham have changed his mind.

However, Spurs ‘pushed hard to convince him, and the possibility of a release [clause] would have convinced him’. If the move goes through, the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager will return to the Premier League.

Tottenham’s remaining PL fixtures

Roberto De Zerbi is open to becoming the new Tottenham Hotspur manager.

The Premier League side have endured a difficult season so far, winning seven of their 31 league matches.

Tottenham parted ways with Thomas Frank in February and appointed Igor Tudor as their manager for the remainder of the season.

Spurs struggled under Tudor, winning only one [against Atlético Madrid] of the seven matches under his orders. He only picked up a point in the league, against Liverpool.

On Sunday, Tottenham confirmed to have parted ways with Tudor and are yet to appoint his successor.

De Zerbi to Tottenham heating up

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio now reports Roberto De Zerbi is in line to become the next Spurs manager.

The 46-year-old has been without a club since leaving Marseille in February. Initial claims stated he isn’t thinking about joining club until the end of the season.

However, the manager seems to have changed his stance as he’s now open to considering Tottenham’s proposal. The evaluation is ongoing from both sporting [their project and ambition] and the financial point of view.

Spurs have also assured of building a competitive team for next season and offered a five-year contract to the Italian. That could be why he’s in the process of potentially changing his mind about the London opportunity.

Di Marzio claims the next few hours are ‘crucial’ for De Zerbi to say yes to Spurs.

Manchester United join Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and several other clubs in the race for AS Roma’s Evan Ndicka.

The centre-back has been a regular for the Serie A side since joining them for free in June 2023.

His performances haven’t gone unnoticed and already caught Liverpool and Tottenham attention. Manchester United have now entered the race, along with the Premier League duo and other clubs.

The 26-year-old has played 120 matches so far and 2,903 minutes are from 35 matches from this season.

His Serie A stats per game from this season are as follows:

Clean sheets: 10

Interceptions: 1.3

Tackles: 0.8

Ball recovered: 4.5

Clearances: 4.2

Errors leading to goal: 0

Ground duels won: 2.4

Aerial duels won: 2.7

The Italian club showed serious interest in Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee in the winter market. At that time, Sport Witness relayed news of a potential swap involving him and the defender.

Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham keen

A swap deal didn’t go through, but the Red Devils are showing interest in Evan Ndicka. That’s according to Solo la Roma, who say it’s their own updates on the Premier League trio.

They state: ‘The international bidding war for Evan Ndicka has reached unprecedented heights, transforming the Roma centre-back into a prized possession in the European defensive market.’

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have ‘formally entered’ the race, joining Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona and Beşiktaş.

Tottenham already looked at him last summer but weren’t able to get a deal over the line. Since the failure, Spurs have been in the lead, but Manchester United and Bayern Munich’s interest is ‘altering the balance’.

The France-born Ivory Coast international is a key part of their project. However, Roma are open to a sale if there is an offer of at least €45m in the summer.

That’s mainly because Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have to raise funds to strengthen their squad next season and Ndicka’s sale can help them.

He hasn’t asked to leave yet, but the appeal of the Premier League and Bayern can influence his agent’s final decision. In other words, the three English clubs or Bayern Munich could tempt the player in the summer.

Contract, value and agent info

Evan Ndicka will have two years left on his contract at the end of this season. His value, as per Transfermarkt, now is €35m and it’s the highest so far in his career.

AMS Consulting, who also represent Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma, are taking care of his future and interest.

If AS Roma are still keen on Joshua Zirkzee, Manchester United could float the idea of a player plus cash deal.

Pervis Estupinan’s time at AC Milan could already be up, having endured a difficult few months since joining from Brighton. Tottenham’s task of signing him may be rather straightforward.

The Ecuadorian has played only 16 times in Serie A this season, featuring for less than 1000 minutes. There have been times when young Davide Bartesaghi has been preferred over the South American, who has struggled for consistency.

Defensive lapses have become a common theme, with a major one coming against Lazio earlier this month. This came right after his big goal against Inter Milan but the strike simply proved to be false hope of revival.

On Thursday, SportWitness covered Tottenham’s interest in the left-back. There was confidence that initial enquiries have been made but a move would hinge on Roberto De Zerbi’s potential appointment.

The London side have now been told the terms that can seal a deal.

Milan want to avoid capital loss

Calciomercato report on the former Brighton player, mentioning the reports that spoke of Tottenham’s interest in Pervis Estupinan.

They clarify that the Rossoneri wouldn’t oppose the fullback’s exit, having been left disappointed by his performances. The deal will have to be done on their terms, as things stand.

Milan paid €17m plus bonuses of €2m in the summer. Now, they would like around €14m to execute his sale. This would allow them to avoid a capital loss and then use the money for a possible replacement.

The report says: ‘This is the request the Milanese management is expected to make, should Tottenham make any concrete progress.’

The demand from the Italian side doesn’t seem huge and €14m can prove to be an easy deal for Tottenham.

Our take: Focus should be on hiring De Zerbi

As mentioned, a move for Pervis Estupinan would largely hinge on De Zerbi’s arrival. The Italian is expected to make a decision about his future at the end of the season.

That is why Tottenham should initially focus on hiring him and then building a project that aligns with his vision. De Zerbi is known to be quite a demanding manager – on and off the pitch. Handing him very specific signings is going to be decisive and that has been the case at every club.

The ex-Brighton suits De Zerbi’s system, which relies on full-backs bombing forward. This eliminates defensive weaknesses, with Estupinan clearly struggling in Max Allegri’s pragmatic setup.