So far, most things have gone smoothly in 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall’s career. The step from Djurgården to Tottenham was seen by many as big, perhaps too big. But the midfielder settled in at the Premier League club and got plenty of playing time in his debut season.
The gold nugget was rewarded for that. Already in May, he extended his contract until 2031, where the previous one was written until 2029.
– That says a lot. It was only a year after he signed and Tottenham didn’t have to. He already had a long contract. He got a pay rise and it showed how important he was in his first season,” said Evening Standard journalist Matt Verri, who covers Tottenham closely.
Verri continues:
– Tottenham’s chief scout (Rob Mackenzie) called him a “generational talent” and I think that is reasonable. He is so exciting and the contract showed how much they respect Bergvall. Maybe it was also a signal to other clubs in Europe that he is not going anywhere, that they want to keep him long term.
Not enough of that. The Swedish super talent was also recognized by the supporters. He was voted “player of the season”.
– In general, supporters like young players, seeing young players is always popular. Tottenham did win the Europa League, but they finished 17th in the Premier League. The competition for who was their best player was not very fierce, says Verri and continues:
– He played 45 competitive matches and that is a lot for an 18-year-old. The fact that he was thrown in and became their defensive midfielder as well as his style of play makes fans gravitate towards it. It was not very surprising because he is so popular with the supporters and they want to see more of him.
The supporters want to see more of the Swede, yes. Former coach Ange Postecoglou placed great faith in Bergvall. But he is gone with the wind and now it is the Danish Thomas Frank who steers the schooner.
It has affected Bergvall. The Swede has certainly received playing time, but it has often been at the expense of Frank being without his favourites.
– I would say that Frank is more cautious than Postecoglou. The fact that Ange often wanted Bergvall as a defensive midfielder says a lot. Bergvall seems to have realized that something that is more difficult with Frank is that he preferred to play with Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha together, says Verri and continues:
– Tottenham also signed Xavi Simons this summer. He hasn’t been great, but they spent so much money on him and he was their big signing. Somehow he has to be played fit. That makes it difficult for Bergvall to settle into the eleven.
Bergvall has started around half of the matches in the Premier League. Verri’s theory is that the teenager’s strengths may also be to his detriment.
– Frank has moved him around a bit. His versatility is a strength, but also a bit of a problem as it is difficult to nail down a position, says the Tottenham insider and continues:
– He is very forward-leaning. Frank said earlier in the season that he might be too forward at times, that he needs to know when to slow down. He is very intense, sometimes playing almost 100 miles per hour. It’s exciting for the supporters to watch, but maybe not as much for Frank. He wants control and wants almost everything to be on the safer side. I think the fans want to see more of Bergvall.
Verri believes that the most beneficial thing for Bergvall would have been if he was used as a “box to box” midfielder and time and again the journalist emphasizes that the youngster is still the 19-year-old.
Therefore, Bergvall is also seen to be able to become an important component in Spurs. Even someone to build the team around.
– I think so and I think that is definitely Tottenham’s view of him. They see him as one of the best young players in Europe. They also brought in Archie Gray and he’s the same age. I think they see them in midfield in the future. They also have Xavi Simons, says Verri and continues:
– But when a new coach, no matter when or who it is, or if Frank remains and Bergvall is still in the team – then I wouldn’t be surprised if he is one of the first names that end up in midfield and someone they see they can build around. He can play almost anywhere in midfield and he is so young. And he was actually one of the players who was actually healthy last season. He is very physically robust. He is very accessible. I see Tottenham building around him for the next three to five years, if he stays at the club.
Tottenham skids and chops. If it continues as it did last year and this far into this season, it could cause concern for the London club if other clubs peck at Bergvall’s attention.
– Where Tottenham are in the pecking order among European clubs now and while Bergvall would make strides every season – where he starts regularly and is one of their best midfielders – will he then stay at Tottenham? Probably not.
– Tottenham are currently not at the top of European football. They are in the Champions League, but they are not in a situation where they can really compete. Barcelona have wanted Bergvall in the past and I imagine quite a few will want it in three years, if he has the same development curve as he has had recently.
It wouldn’t be free to sign him.
– No, exactly. Daniel Levy (volatile chairman, known for holding the reins, ed. note) has now left, but I still don’t think Tottenham will be that easy to negotiate with. That is one of the advantages of having Bergvall on a long contract. It would be very expensive for anyone to sign him.
