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Spurs captain Cristian Romero has said 'yes' to leaving the club this summer, it has been reported - but the deal is at risk of collapse.

Roberto De Zerbi's side have had an impressive transfer window thus far, having added a mix of Premier League experience and youth to the squad.

They splashed out £100 million on the club-record arrival of midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, as well as agreeing a fee of £85 million with relegated West Ham to sign Mateus Fernandes.

Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson have arrived on free transfers after leaving Bournemouth and Liverpool respectively.

Spurs are now focusing their attentions on the attacking third, with De Zerbi promising that a 'bomba' - a major signing - would be incoming soon.

They have been linked with moves for the Manchester City duo of Omar Marmoush and Savinho, and reports from Portugal claim they have submitted a bid to sign Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup.

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo is also of interest.

But outgoings will inevitably have to happen - and Romero could become the first major departure of the De Zerbi era to spark a host of other deals.

Romero close to Spurs exit as deal agreed

That's according to Italian outlet Correire dello Sport, who report that Inter Milan have agreed a total package worth €40 million to sign the Argentina captain.

Romero is said to have agreed to the move - but there is one key problem that Inter still have to overcome.

It is claimed that the club will need to sell in order to buy this summer, with centre-back Benjamin Pavard set to be placed on the chopping block to clear the way for Romero's arrival.

Pavard's situation is described as a 'sticking point', with Inter keen to sell him before his contract expires in the summer of 2028. But the player himself wants to stay.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Inter have offered the France defender to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad, as well as other unnamed clubs.

"I think we have to be attentive to the situation of Cuti Romero," he said on his YouTube channel. "Inter, not only Inter, there are clubs keen. For sure, around Cuti Romero there is movement. I still expect him to leave Tottenham in this summer transfer window."

Pavard was heavily linked with a move from Bayern Munich to Manchester United when Erik ten Hag was in charge, but he ultimately signed for Inter instead during the summer of 2023.

He won the Serie A title in his debut campaign, before helping Inter to reach the Champions League final the following year, where they lost to PSG.

But the 27-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements last term and spent the season on loan at Ligue 1 side Marseille, making 36 appearances in all competitions.

Pavard was signed for Marseille by De Zerbi, although the prospect of a swap deal with Romero isn't something that appears to have been proposed at this stage.

Manchester City’s pursuit of Chelsea winger Pedro Neto could be hijacked by Tottenham, but one thing must happen first.

On Tuesday (August 4), Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Man City had made direct contact with Neto’s camp over a move.

Neto is thought to be just one of several wingers being targeted by City, although a move will likely depend on the future of Savinho, who has been linked with Spurs.

Of course, Maresca previously worked with the Portugal international during his time as Chelsea head coach.

But the deal may not be straightforward despite Maresca’s healthy working relationship with Neto.

According to Romano, Spurs would consider hijacking City’s move for Neto if their own pursuit of primary target Savinho fell through, although the Brazilian has “a very, very good chance of joining Tottenham”.

“Manchester City have made formal approaches with the agent of Pedro Neto today,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“[And] with his camp to bring the Portuguese winger to Manchester City.

“Enzo Maresca is a big factor in this deal because he knows the player so well... he [Neto] is a player appreciated by Maresca.”

READ NEXT: Premier League done deals: Every completed move in the 2026 summer transfer window

Romano explained the reason City are looking for a winger is due to the possibility of Savinho leaving this summer, creating a vacancy on the right flank.

The Italian maintained that Neto is not among the players Chelsea are planning to sell this summer, with the player in Xabi Alonso’s plans for the upcoming season.

The Stamford Bridge club reportedly value Neto at around £70million.

“It depends if Chelsea receive a good proposal,” Romano added.

“This story could develop; otherwise, he’s not a player who has to leave the club. But for sure, the situation of Pedro Neto is something that’s underway right now; contacts are ongoing with the agent, and the player could eventually be open to the move. Now it comes down to the financial negotiations in terms of the value of the player.”

Savinho is under contract at City until 2031, while Neto’s Chelsea deal also runs until 2031.

Spurs have also been linked with Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup, as well as reportedly being offered the chance to sign AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun.

Roberto De Zerbi has already welcomed Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dúbravka during the summer transfer window.

Club captain Cristian Romero looks set to join Inter Milan while Lucas Bergvall’s future remains uncertain.

Enzo Maresca speaks out on Man City transfer plans

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Maresca offered his thoughts on City’s summer transfer plans.

“Fortunately, this is a squad that doesn’t need to do many things,” he said.

“At the same time, we already know the squad lost some important players with experience, with Bernardo [Silva], John [Stones], Nathan [Ake]…different players.

“For sure, there are things we need to do.

“Hugo [Viana, Sporting Director] is here. Also Ferran [Soriano, CEO] is here. We just try to speak day by day to see if we need to do something.

“For sure there are things we need to do. We are in communication every day.

“The reason I said there are things to do is because the transfer window is open and when it is open, anything can happen. It is August and then from September, when it’s closed, it is completely different.”

City have already signed Elliot Anderson, Jeremy Monga and Mathys Detourbet.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been offered a World Cup star who previously played for Arsenal.

Roberto De Zerbi has already welcomed several players to Spurs this summer, with Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes arriving from Newcastle United and West Ham United for a combined fee of £185million.

De Zerbi has recruited central defender Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton, while Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson have joined as free agents, along with third-choice goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, with the veteran set to act as back-up to Guglielmo Vicario and Antonín Kinský.

Club captain Cristian Romero looks set to join Inter Milan, with reports suggesting a £34million deal has been agreed between the clubs.

READ NEXT: Premier League done deals: Every completed move in the 2026 summer transfer window

And despite spending over £220million already during the window, it appears the north Londoners will look to recruit further.

Tottenham are reportedly interested in both Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup, with reports from Portugal suggesting Spurs have tabled a £47million bid for the latter.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday (August 4), The Sun reported that USMNT and AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun has been offered to Spurs through intermediaries, with De Zerbi looking to recruit competition for Dominic Solanke.

The forward’s representatives have approached Spurs directly with a proposal, with the Lilywhites seriously considering tabling an official offer, while Monaco are also open to a sale at the right price.

Balogun, who is contracted to Monaco until 2028, impressed during the World Cup, with his three strikes helping the co-hosts reach the round of 16.

At club level, the 25-year-old netted 18 times in 40 appearances across all competitions last term.

Before joining Les Rouge et Blanc back in 2023, Balogun enjoyed two loan spells at Reims and Middlesbrough while he was still contracted to Arsenal.

The striker first joined Arsenal’s academy in 2008 and went on to make his first-team debut for the Gunners in 2020 during a Europa League clash.

In total, the American made 10 appearances for Arsenal, producing two goals and one assist before moving abroad.

Spurs are also reportedly keen on Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, although no direct discussions have been held between the clubs at this time, with Aston Villa and Newcastle also monitoring the Senegal international’s situation.

Tottenham are also reportedly considering Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, although a likely £60-70million price tag may prove to be a sticking point in potential negotiations for the Nigerian.

De Zerbi ‘like a shark’ in transfer window

Speaking last week about the potential of more summer signings, De Zerbi compared himself to a shark when he identifies a player he wants to sign.

"In the transfer market when I want one player I become like a shark, No chance to say no!” he told Football London.

"The transfer market, it's not finished for sure, but we completed 60 per cent of our project in the transfer market. Now we have another bomba!"

The transfer window closes on September 1.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly tabled a bid worth £47million for a European winger who impressed at the World Cup – and he’s already turned down Liverpool.

Roberto De Zerbi has added several quality players to his squad this summer, with Spurs spending a combined £185million on midfield duo Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, with the pair arriving from Newcastle United and West Ham United respectively.

The Italian has also recruited Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion, while fellow defenders Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson have signed after their contracts at Bournemouth and Liverpool expired.

Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka has also penned a deal and will provide backup to Guglielmo Vicario and Antonín Kinský.

Club captain Cristian Romero is likely to leave, with Spurs reportedly agreeing to a £34million sale to Inter.

READ NEXT: Premier League done deals: Every completed move in the 2026 summer transfer window

Spurs 'submit bid' for ex-Liverpool target

But Spurs' activity in the transfer window does not appear to be stopping, with reports from the Portuguese media suggesting the north Londoners have lodged a bid worth up to £47million for highly rated Benfica and Norway winger Andreas Schjelderup.

The 22-year-old may be a familiar name to English fans as his wonder strike put Norway 1-0 up against the Three Lions in the World Cup quarter-finals before Jude Bellingham’s heroics eventually helped England win 2-1.

Schjelderup scored once and assisted three times at the World Cup, following up on an impressive season under Jose Mourinho at Benfica.

According to Portuguese outlet Now, as relayed by Bola na Rede, Spurs have already made an offer for the winger, made up of a fixed fee of around £39million and £8.7million in potential add-ons.

However, the Norwegian is under contract at the Lisbon club until 2028 and has a release clause of £86million in his current deal.

The youngster first signed for Benfica from Nordsjælland in 2023 and even turned down the chance to sign for Liverpool as a 16-year-old in the summer of 2020.

Speaking about the decision to turn down the glamour of a move to Anfield in 2022, Schjelderup explained: “Of course, it was a bit hard (turning down Liverpool), because when you grow up, you watch the big names and then you hear that they want you, so your head starts to spin. But I got a lot of help from my father and my agents, who helped me make the right decision.

"It hurt a little bit for me and my dad in our hearts (not joining Liverpool), but the move here meant joining a first-team environment instead of going into an academy at under-19 or under-17 level. It felt like this move was the right one for me. I started in the under-19s, but I knew that when I was ready, I could take the step up to the first team.

"But at the club, they said they didn't expect me to get there this quickly! I planned to do it sooner than they thought, and my plan worked. Of course, maybe I can go to a big team in the future. In the long run, for me, this was the best step. When I am ready, I will take the next step."

Schjelderup also undertook trials with Bayern Munich and Juventus.

Spurs have also been heavily linked with Manchester City winger Savinho as well as Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo.

Mateus Fernandes has given a fascinating insight into why he joined Tottenham this summer, despite being strongly linked with a big-money move to Premier League rivals Manchester United.

The 22-year-old midfielder, who was one of West Ham's standout performers last season, joined Tottenham at the start of July for a club-record £85million fee.

Before penning a deal with the North London club this summer, a number of teams had expressed interest in Fernandes, including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

In fact, Fernandes was viewed as a priority target for United at one stage, but they were unwilling to match the fee agreed by Spurs following talks with his agent, Jorge Mendes.

A report from the BBC claims United were 'not convinced' Fernandes wanted to play at Old Trafford and instead, they pursued moves for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemens from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively.

Now, the midfielder has spoken out about his decision to join Spurs, mentioning how Roberto De Zerbi and Pedro Porro convinced him to join Tottenham over United.

Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Fernandes was asked why he decided to sign for Spurs. "The desire of playing for a big club, winning games, to fight for the Premier League, for the title," he replied.

"The way he [De Zerbi] spoke with me and my family was very important for me. He was calling me every day, so I’m very happy to work with him, and hopefully we can do great things.

"It was more about (forming a) connection, because my dad and my mum don’t speak English very well. It was more about feelings.

"He said he would take care of me, that he would be my second dad in England. I’m very happy to work with him."

Fernandes also mentioned the influence of Portuguese teammate Pedro Porro.

The midfielder added: "He called me one day — I didn’t answer because I was sleeping — he said, in Portuguese, 'Come on Mateus, you need to play with us, we want you. It was me that told the manager to bring you.'

"Then when everything was done, I spoke with him a bit about the club, the mentality in the team, the team-mates as well. He’s an important player. He’s one of the best right-backs in the world. He’s a top guy."

What will Matheus Fernandes bring to Tottenham's midfield?

Despite West Ham's relegation, Fernandes was one of the top-ranking midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to distance covered.

The 22-year-old, who operates primarily as a progressive number 8, is also capable of breaking the lines with long through-balls and dribbles.

Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi was full of praise for Fernandes on his arrival.

"I've admired Mateus for a long time because he combines quality on the ball with the intensity and intelligence that are so important in the way we want to play," said De Zerbi.

"Despite his age, he already has good experience in the Premier League and has shown quality and consistency at this level.

"Mateus is comfortable under pressure, can progress the ball, works hard for the team and has the courage to make things happen in difficult moments. I believe this is the ideal environment for him to continue his development."

Erik Lamela has been registered as a kit man for the upcoming season after Liga MX side CF Monterrey used a legal loophole that allows him to join the coaching staff on matchdays.

The 34-year-old, who played for River Plate, Roma, Spurs, Sevilla and AEK Athens during his 16-year playing career, announced his retirement from professional football in August 2025.

After a decade-long battle with hip pain that eventually had an impact on the way he trained, Lamela decided to hang up his boots before joining Matias Almeyda's coaching staff at former club Sevilla.

This season, he will once again join Almeyda but this time, the Argentine will represent Mexican outfit CF Monterrey.

His role, meanwhile, is set to differ slightly. Lamela doesn't yet have the necessary coaching qualifications to be registered under Article 17.1 of Liga MX statutes, so the club have found a workaround to make sure he can be on the bench during games.

As he trains to obtain his UEFA Pro license, Lamela has been named as a kit man/equipment manager.

Erik Lamela opens up about how injury impacted his career for more than a decade

Lamela endured hip pain for large parts of his career, with cartilage wear and advanced osteoarthritis forcing him to retire in his early 30's.

"My first pains started when I was 22, when I started to feel discomfort," he said last year. "At 25, I ended up having surgery because I couldn't compete due to the pain. The operation went well and I kept playing.

"But from then on, everything was different for me because it's like they replaced my hip. I've never had the same hip I had before."

Speaking in an interview with TyC Sports, Lamela admitted he had to overcome pain to get through every match. "I retired due to a physical issue that had been bothering me for a long time," he said.

"I wanted to finish my career in the best possible way, enjoying it as much as possible despite this problem, which was quite difficult. This problem was even more serious because I had suffered from cartilage wear and advanced osteoarthritis recently.

"These last few years were much more serious in the sense that my hip was increasingly affected and I could no longer train like before."

He added: "That's why I had to modify the way I trained because if I trained during the week, I wouldn't play the game, because my hip couldn't maintain certain performance levels during the week."

Chelsea fans think a star player will lose his place in the starting XI after a new signing impressed supporters during the Blues’ Sydney Super Cup match against Tottenham.

The London rivals faced off in front of 80,000 fans at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday (August 1), with Roberto De Zerbi’s side running out 2-1 winners.

Spurs’ summer recruits Andrew Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali all started the match, while Chelsea’s star names Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana were given the nod from the start by Xabi Alonso.

Tonali, who completed a £100 million move from Newcastle United earlier this summer, opened the scoring in the 17th minute, registering his first goal for the Lilywhites before Chelsea winger Estevao levelled things with a close-range header four minutes later.

Both head coaches made changes at half-time, with Kevin Danso and Richarlison replacing Van Hecke and Dominic Solanke, while Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli replaced Romeo Lavia for Chelsea.

READ NEXT: Premier League done deals: Every completed move in the 2026 summer transfer window

But Danso’s evening lasted just three minutes as he was sent off for pulling down Pedro and, in doing so, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

After several changes later in the match, Richarlison popped up with the winner, tapping home Jamie Donley’s rebound in second-half stoppage time.

Chelsea fans praise new signing in Spurs defeat

Despite being on the wrong end of the result, Chelsea right-back Marco Palestra received huge plaudits on social media, with some fans even suggesting he could be a ready-made replacement for Reece James if he continues to perform at the level he showed in Sydney.

The Italian also formed a promising partnership with Estevao, which one fan described as "nuts".

Another fan said: "Marco Palestra is going to change our lives down that right-hand side at Chelsea. I can see why other fans were so bothered about him; he's going to be a weapon."

A second wrote: "Marco Palestra, take a bow. What a masterclass against Spurs. Composed, fearless, and dominant from start to finish. Chelsea really hit the belly with this signing."

While a third commented: "Marco Palestra maturing in the Premier League will become one of the best RWB in the league. Estevao would love to play with him."

A fourth added: "Hear me out everyone and bookmark this... PALESTRA WILL BENCH REECE JAMES... YES, I said it! Physically top notch, speed, crossing, etc. Palestra is the one."

Palestra was Alonso’s first signing as Chelsea boss, with the Italian arriving from Atalanta for £47 million and penning a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea will now travel to Hong Kong, where they face Italian giants Juventus on August 5 before taking on AC Milan in Jakarta on August 8 and Johor Darul Ta'zim in Johor the following day.

Alonso’s side round off their pre-season at Stamford Bridge against Spain’s Real Sociedad on August 15 before their Premier League opener away at Fulham on August 24.

Spurs have reportedly agreed a £34 million deal to sell Cristian Romero to a Champions League club.

Romero, 28, has been heavily linked with a potential departure all summer, with the Argentina international initially linked with La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

The centre-back, who is currently Spurs' club captain, made it clear that he wanted to leave earlier in the window, with it widely reported that Barcelona were also keen on the player.

However, it has now been reported that Spurs have agreed to sell Romero to Serie A champions Inter, with the Italian giants already announcing the signing of former Manchester City centre-back John Stones earlier this week.

ESPN Argentina claim Spurs have reached a verbal agreement with Inter, although Romero has yet to green-light the move, with personal terms yet to be agreed.

Despite Romero's likely exit, Spurs do have cover in the centre of defence, having already signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, with both likely to start under Roberto De Zerbi.

READ NEXT: Premier League done deals: Every completed move in the 2026 summer transfer window

The north Londoners have added midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to their ranks, with experienced left-back Andrew Robertson also arriving after his Liverpool contract expired at the end of last season.

Martin Dúbravka has also joined Spurs as a free agent after his Burnley contract expired and will likely provide back-up to Guglielmo Vicario and Antonín Kinský.

De Zerbi respects Romero's wishes

Speaking earlier this week, De Zerbi claimed he would allow Romero to leave if he wanted to move on this summer.

“At the beginning of my time, in April, I had, I don’t know, one million individual meetings,” De Zerbi said.

“And [the players] told me what their idea was. I said: ‘Yes, help me to stay up, and then I’ll help you to leave’. If you don’t help me to stay up, you stay underwater with me!

“But Romero, with me, was unbelievable. Top… in his behaviour, his respect. He suffered when he did not play the last game. It is not true that he wanted to leave for Argentina to prepare for their World Cup. It’s not true.

“After the semi-final [against England], we texted a message, but I never called him to convince him to stay. I respected what he told me. Like for Vicario, like for every player.

“Romero, as a player, is one of the best centre-backs in the world, but in the end I said I want to respect the will of the players.”

Spurs are currently in Australia on their pre-season tour and face Chelsea on August 1, having already fulfilled fixtures against MK Dons, Auckland and Sydney FC.

De Zerbi’s side face Getafe in a behind-closed-doors clash on August 8 before back-to-back friendlies against Hoffenheim on August 15 and 16, ahead of their Premier League opener away at Brentford on August 22.

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi was left fuming after defender Kevin Danso was sent off just three minutes after being substituted on in the Sydney Super Cup against Chelsea.

The London clubs faced off at the Accor Stadium on Saturday (August 1), with Xabi Alonso fielding several first-team players such as Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana, as well as a combination of youngsters, including new right-back Marco Palestra.

Meanwhile, De Zerbi named a strong starting XI, with summer recruits Andrew Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali starting the friendly.

And it was the Italian who opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a smart strike from outside the penalty area to register his first goal since completing a £100 million move from Newcastle United.

But it took just four minutes for Chelsea to level things, with Estevao nodding past Antonín Kinský at the back post.

READ NEXT: Premier League done deals: Every completed move in the 2026 summer transfer window

At half-time, De Zerbi and Alonso made changes. Danso and Richarlison replaced Van Hecke and Solanke, while Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli replaced Romeo Lavia for Chelsea.

However, Danso’s evening lasted just three minutes as he was sent off for a challenge on Pedro.

The 27-year-old Austria international failed to control the ball as the Brazilian sprinted past him, with the defender dragging the forward down before receiving his marching orders.

Footage from Paramount+ Australia quickly cut to De Zerbi, who sat back in his seat, appearing annoyed by his player’s mistake.

Fans were quick to react to Danso's red card on social media.

One said: "RED CARD FOR SPURS! Danso fouls Joao Pedro as the last man. It is never a friendly between Chelsea and Spurs."

Another added: “I know Danso has to be sent off by the letter of the law, but it's a pre-season friendly and neither side really benefit from it in terms of their preparations. Spurs maybe get some extra fitness, but the game was being played at a decent tempo before, which was helpful all round.”

A third claimed: “Danso went from bad to worse. Came on as a substitute and within three minutes he was walking back to the dressing room.”

While a fourth commented: “I mean, just because it’s a friendly doesn’t mean the rules don’t apply. That was a stonewall red for Danso…”

Alonso made seven more changes with 10 minutes to go, with Josh Acheampong, Liam Delap, Reggie Walsh, Omari Kellyman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Reggie Watson and Mamadou Sarr introduced, while Levi Colwill, Palestra, Dario Essugo, Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Fofana and Pedro were withdrawn.

De Zerbi also made two further changes, with Kota Takai and Jamie Donley replacing Ben Davies and Tonali.

Richarlison's stoppage-time strike secured Spurs' 2-1 win with almost the last kick of the game, with the Brazilian taking advantage of a rebound after Donley’s shot hit the post.

Next up, De Zerbi’s side face Getafe in a behind-closed-doors clash on August 8 before back-to-back friendlies against Hoffenheim on August 15 and 16, ahead of their Premier League opener away at Brentford on August 22.

Roberto De Zerbi has handed one Tottenham player an ultimatum after their clash against Sydney FC on Wednesday.

Spurs are now deep into their pre-season preparations for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.

Following victories over MK Dons and Auckland, De Zerbi's men continued their Australia tour with a 1-1 draw against Sydney FC.

Mathys Tel scored the only goal of the game for Spurs before they prevailed 4-2 on penalties ahead of their eye-catching showdown with Chelsea on August 1.

It's been a huge summer so far at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having armed De Zerbi with a war chest of funds to assemble a squad that should be challenging for Europe after consecutive 17th-place finishes.

Tottenham have spent an eye-watering £237million on new signings, notably breaking their transfer record twice with deals for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, as well as capturing Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka and Andy Robertson.

Spurs are expected to continue being active in the window, too, with Savinho handing in a transfer request at Manchester City as he aims to force through a move to north London.

But while incomings have dominated the headlines at Tottenham, several players have exited the club, and more could follow, including talented youngster Lucas Bergvall.

The 20-year-old made it clear that he wanted to leave the club in June, and according to reports, Spurs have rejected offers from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest for the midfielder.

Bergvall, who made four appearances for Sweden at the World Cup, only started 11 times in the Premier League last term and wants to play regular first-team football.

De Zerbi cannot promise the precocious talent a starting place in his engine room, especially with the breadth of options at his disposal, none more so than new signings Fernandes and Tonali.

Roberto De Zerbi won't stand in the way of Lucas Bergvall leaving

Bergvall started alongside Archie Gray in Tottenham's draw against Sydney on Wednesday, but his selection isn't an indicator of what is to come.

The Swede has been pushed firmly down the pecking order this summer, reinforced by De Zerbi's comments after the match.

READ NEXT: Spurs forced to address wild Mateus Fernandes conspiracy theory as training footage goes viral

Although the Italian wants him to stay, he cannot promise him a starting place and won't stand in his way if he chooses to leave.

"I'm always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us," De Zerbi said.

"I think he's potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don't want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay.

"He can find the space if he stays with us. The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad - not just 11 players - especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons."

De Zerbi risks Bergvall's development stagnating if he stays, and therefore, with his heart set on playing regular first-team football, it's likely he could depart this summer.

It is widely reported that a £60m offer could prise him away, a steep asking price for someone with just 50 Premier League appearances under his belt.