Inside Futbol

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Tottenham Hotspur target Antonio Vergara is set to receive a ‘significant’ pay rise as part of a contract extension at Napoli, with the Serie A outfit moving decisively to fend off interest from N17.

Spurs’ admiration for the Italian emerged last month after his growing prominence in Naples over the course of the recent campaign.

The Serie A outfit quickly became alert to the situation, identifying Vergara as a key part of the club’s long-term plans.

Incoming boss Massimiliano Allegri’s high opinion of the attacking midfielder only reinforced Napoli’s determination to retain him.

The Azzurri subsequently opened talks over a new contract in a bid to secure Vergara’s future before Tottenham could step up their interest.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have since discovered that prising the Italian away from Naples will be far from straightforward, with Napoli determined to keep hold of him.

Serie A rivals Como and Atalanta, along with Bournemouth, have also remained attentive to the situation in the hope that an opportunity could emerge.

Linked midfielder Club Sandro Tonali Newcastle United Mateus Fernandes West Ham United Joao Palhinha Bayern Munich Antonio Vergara Napoli Aleksandar Stankovic Inter Milan Khephren Thuram Juventus Midfielders linked with Tottenham

Now, according to Italian daily Tuttosport (via Tutto Mercato Web), Vergara is set to commit his future to Napoli until 2032, with the new agreement including a ‘significant’ salary increase.

The Serie A outfit have already rebuffed interest from clubs including Tottenham and the extension would only reinforce their stance.

With his current deal running until 2030, the new contract would secure Vergara’s future for an additional two years while rewarding his progress with a substantial salary increase.

Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has been determined to keep Vergara ‘at all costs’, with the contract extension marking a major success in that effort.

The Lilywhites may now have to turn their attention elsewhere, although another Italian could still make the move to north London as Spurs continue to pursue Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali.

Vergara is not the only Serie A midfielder on Spurs’ shortlist, with Khephren Thuram another target amid Juventus’ willingness to sanction his departure.

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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall has been urged by Swedish journalists Mattias Eckerman and Fredrik de Ron to take a step down in club stature rather than chase a bigger move.

Despite extending his Tottenham contract until the summer of 2031 in April, the 20-year-old has now asked to leave N17 after assessing Roberto De Zerbi’s transfer plans and concluding that regular minutes will be hard to come by.

That comes despite the midfielder previously praising the Italian, insisting De Zerbi played a major role in keeping Spurs in the Premier League last season.

The Sweden international, who recently became his country’s youngest-ever World Cup debutant, is valued at around £45m, with Tottenham unwilling to sanction a departure for anything less.

AC Milan are interested but are said to face difficult negotiations, while Nottingham Forest continue to keep the Spurs midfielder high on their shortlist.

Napoli have also shown interest, although Tottenham’s asking price has so far proved a stumbling block for the Italians.

Eckerman stressed that Bergvall should prioritise joining a club with the right environment for his development rather than taking a step up in stature.

He added that clubs who finished above Tottenham, such as Brighton and Nottingham Forest, could provide a more suitable platform for the 20-year-old’s development despite being a step back.

Eckerman said in the VM Direkt studio on Fotboll Direkt: “It’s a very nice environment for players to develop in.

“He shouldn’t go up in terms of club size but maybe a little bit downwards, if you can say that about Brighton and Nottingham who both came before Tottenham last season.

“These are clubs that are doing better at the moment.”

De Ron also urged Bergvall to avoid a move to Chelsea for now, despite the Blues’ January approach, citing uncertainty over the club’s direction under new manager Xabi Alonso.

“If I were Lucas Bergvall, I probably wouldn’t choose Chelsea, mainly because it’s still quite unclear what’s happening at that club.

“Xabi Alonso is coming in as the new manager after the summer, and you don’t really know what he wants to do with this Chelsea team or whether there’s a place for Lucas Bergvall”

With De Zerbi pushing to bring in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali and West Ham United‘s Mateus Fernandes this summer, with the latter ‘very close’ to agreeing personal terms, competition for places in Tottenham’s midfield is only set to intensify.

Tonali is also said to be taking ‘big steps towards Tottenham’, with Spurs expected to pay around £100m, meaning any fee raised from Bergvall’s departure could help soften the financial outlay.

Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram has also been linked with a move to north London, adding to the growing list of midfield targets.

Now all eyes will be on where Bergvall does end up, with the Swede keen to move.

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Napoli have been ‘making an effort to understand’ whether a deal to sign wantaway Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall is possible, but Spurs’ asking price is higher than they thought.

Bergvall wants to leave Tottenham this summer and has communicated that message to the north London club, with a lack of playing time a major concern for the Sweden international.

Already a host of clubs are showing real interest in Bergvall, with the midfielder high up in Nottingham Forest’s thinking.

There has been interest from Italy, where AC Milan are keen, but wary of lengthy and difficult talks, while Napoli admire the midfielder.

Doubt has now been cast though over how realistic it is to expect a Serie A side to be able to sign Bergvall, with Napoli’s assumptions on a deal being shot down by Spurs.

Napoli have been making genuine efforts to see if a deal to sign Bergvall could be possible, with a €40m figure at most in mind.

Tottenham though want more than €50m for the midfielder and no discounts look likely to be given just to help Spurs sell to a non-English side.

Bergvall’s Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou Thomas Frank Igor Tudor Roberto De Zerbi Managers Lucas Bergvall has played under at Tottenham

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio said on Caffe Di Marzio: “English teams aren’t stupid: they don’t sell off their players because they buy others.

“For example, Bergvall, a Tottenham player who will perhaps find less playing time with all those signings, is working with his entourage to leave.

“He’s a player you think: ‘I’ll go there, maybe I’ll take him on loan, I’ll offer 30, I’ll offer 35 and they’ll give him to me,’ but Napoli – who are among the most interested teams in Italy – have been making an effort to understand and thought, at most, they could get him for €40m.

“Instead, Tottenham recently rejected a €50m offer, probably from an English club, likely Nottingham Forest.

“And I don’t think they’ll go below that threshold, not because an English club asked for him and then I’ll give him to an Italian club at a discount: it will always take €50m or more.”

If a switch to a club outside England is ruled out for Bergvall then his most likely move will come in the Premier League.

Tottenham could be wary of sanctioning such a switch as if the Swede starts to shine and fulfil his potential then difficult questions about why Spurs did not keep him in N17 may be asked.

They did turn down approaches from English sides in the winter transfer window.

The north London club notably saw off competition from Barcelona to sign Bergvall from Swedish side Djurgardens and he was handed regular opportunities by Ange Postecoglou.

Roberto De Zerbi though looks set to focus on signing the finished product, with Sandro Tonali eyed to follow Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke in through the door.

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Former Serie A goalkeeper Silvano Martina believes that, although Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is a very good shot-stopper, he would not improve Juventus.

Vicario joined Tottenham from Italian side Empoli in the summer of 2023 following the departure of veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

The 29-year-old shot-stopper struggled for consistency in the recent season, managing just seven clean sheets in 31 Premier League appearances before undergoing hernia surgery in late March.

Vicario looks to be on his way out of north London, with Roberto De Zerbi seeking a different skillset between the sticks, while Martin Dubravka has joined as cover.

The Italian first emerged as a target for Juventus in late May, when the Bianconeri shortlisted Vicario as an option for the transfer market.

It was later suggested that, although the goalkeeper’s wages would be affordable for the Italian side, the ‘real issue’ was the price tag Spurs would set.

The Bianconeri missed out on Champions League qualification for next season and are mindful of not spending big money this summer.

Linked goalkeeper Alisson Guglielmo Vicario Alex Meret Emi Martinez Goalkeepers linked with Juventus

However, last week, it was claimed that Juventus were getting serious about signing Vicario as the cost of signing their other target, Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa, was ‘deemed excessive’.

Martinez still seems the preferred option in Turin, but Vicario is still a live option for Juve.

With the summer transfer window now open, former Serie A goalkeeper Martina has expressed his opinion about the Vicario situation.

Martina feels that the 29-year-old Italian is a quality shot-stopper, but believes the Tottenham goalkeeper would not significantly improve Juventus’ squad.

The former shot-stopper insisted that the club should focus on goalkeepers such as Mile Svilar, Martinez or Alisson if they want to make a real upgrade between the sticks.

Speaking to Italian daily Tuttosport (via Tutto Mercato Web), he said: “Vicario is a very good goalkeeper, but he wouldn’t improve the squad.

“Juve will only improve significantly if they decide to focus on Svilar, Dibu Martinez, or Alisson.”

Juventus have not given up on their chase for Martinez, as it was recently suggested that the Italian club are expected to make new contact for the Aston Villa goalkeeper.

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Tottenham Hotspur ‘have considered’ making a move for Napoli midfielder Antonio Vergara, but Massimiliano Allegri side ‘don’t want to lose him’.

Vergara rose to prominence at Napoli over the course of the recent campaign as he clocked 19 appearances across all competitions, scoring three times and providing four assists.

The attack minded midfielder lost potential playing time due to injury, but still featured in the Champions League league phase against Qarabag, Benfica, FC Copenhagen and Chelsea.

Vergara’s rapid development has given rise to admiring glances from several sides this summer and Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham are amongst them.

Como and Roma are also keen, with the way that Vergara can operate across the attacking line, pass the ball, hold off opponents and contribute to goals, only serving to boost his standing.

‘Tottenham have considered him’ this summer as they look to turn the page on a poor campaign, according to Italian daily Corriere dello Sport, but getting Napoli to do business is the hard part for all interested clubs.

Napoli ‘don’t want to lose him’ this summer and would need a substantial offer to cause a rethink on the 23-year-old, who is on a clear upwards trajectory.

It is suggested that ‘the underlying idea’ is for Vergara and Napoli to continue together into next season.

The 23-year-old came through the youth set-up at Napoli, but was sent out on loan spells at Pro Vercelli and Reggiana to hone his skills.

The attacking midfielder had two campaigns at Reggiana, after a bad injury cut short a first loan.

Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi is currently pushing hard to bring in another Italian midfielder in the shape of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United.

He has already added to his defence by landing Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Martin Dubrakva has also arrived to add goalkeeping cover.

It remains to be seen if Tottenham act on their interest in Vergara by submitting a concrete bid to Napoli for his services, or just continue to monitor his progression in Serie A ahead of a swoop at another time.

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