Time to Ship Out? De Zerbi Slams Unhappy Tottenham Players
Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi has made it clear that players who are unhappy at the club this summer should consider leaving. The Italian manager made the comments amid doubts over Lucas Bergvall's future at the club.
Unhappy Players Must Leave, Says de Zerbi
Tottenham rejected a first bid of £38m from Nottingham Forest for Sweden midfielder Bergvall, with Forest set to up their offer to £45m. De Zerbi said, "I was very clear at the start of my time in Tottenham. I said, who doesn’t want to stay in Tottenham? Who is not happy, is not proud to stay here, has to leave." He added that he wants the players to be proud and happy to stay at the club.
The 20-year-old Bergvall played limited minutes at the end of last season under De Zerbi. He started the Italian's first game in charge – a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland – and, after that, made four appearances as a substitute. Spurs have since signed midfielders Sandro Tonali – in a £100m deal from Newcastle United – and Mateus Fernandes for £85m from West Ham.
Transfer Window Not Yet Over
Spurs have also added defenders Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, and Marcos Senesi to their ranks. De Zerbi says now the "target is to complete the attacking positions." He added, "First of all, I think it’s not finished yet, our transfer market window. We have to finish, we have to bring another couple of, maybe more, maybe not less, but a couple of players."
Bergvall is part of Tottenham's squad in New Zealand but wingers Mohammed Kudus (thigh) and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) have not travelled as they recover from long-term injuries. De Zerbi said, "Kudus is very close. I think when we come back to London he will be available to start working with us. It’s a great thing for us. Kudus is another important player."
Injuries and Transfers
Meanwhile, Spurs attacking midfielder Xavi Simons said "the first four days were the worst days of my life" as he recalled the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered in April. The Netherlands international required surgery on the serious knee injury and missed the 2026 World Cup.
The World Cup is a significant event in football, and De Zerbi believes motivation makes the difference. He said, "The motivation is to be happy to stay in one team." This statement highlights the importance of team spirit and player happiness in football.
Next Steps for Tottenham
De Zerbi will speak with Bergvall in the next days to discuss his future at the club. He said, "I will in the next days and we will make the best decision for the club, for Lucas, for me, for every one of us, without problems. Lucas is a big, big talent." The decision will be made with the help of sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.
The transfer market window is not yet over for Tottenham, and they will continue to bring in new players to strengthen their squad. The club has already made significant signings this summer, and fans will be eagerly waiting to see who else will join the team.
Source: Joy Online
