Tottenham Shoot Down Club's Idea About Fee For Spurs Star
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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.
