Lucas Bergvall to Sunderland: Odds slashed on deal being agreed
Lucas Bergvall has seen his odds slashed on joining Sunderland as he pines for a move away from Tottenham this summer.
Bergvall has indicated his desire to leave Spurs this summer as he anticipates less game time under Roberto De Zerbi in the new season.
Tottenham have made it clear that they will only sell the 20-year-old for a hefty fee, with several Premier League clubs believed to be tracking his availability.
Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali's respective arrivals from West Ham and Newcastle have pushed Bergvall down the midfield pecking order ahead of 2026-27.
He already found it tough to earn regular minutes with lesser competition last season under De Zerbi, so an exit certainly looks to be on the cards.
Sunderland have been linked with a move for the Sweden international, and the betting market is now reflecting their chances of agreeing a deal.
Sunderland firmly in race for Lucas Bergvall as odds slashed to 6/1
Nottingham Forest were believed to be the unnamed English club behind a £43million bid for Bergvall that was duly rejected by Spurs last month.
Sunderland's arch-rivals, Newcastle, have also reportedly seen a £46m offer for his services knocked back by the Lilywhites in recent weeks.
The Magpies remain the favourites to sign Bergvall this summer, at odds of 10/11, while Forest are priced at 5/2 and Brighton come in at 10/3.
All of their odds are drifting as it stands, while Sunderland's have been shortened to 6/1 following reports of their interest in his services.
What has De Zerbi said about selling Bergvall?
Bergvall featured 33 times for Spurs last season, but was only handed 11 league starts under three different bosses and sat on the bench for their vital last two matches of the campaign.
He has made it clear that he wants to stay in the Premier League if he leaves, with sources revealing to Football Insider that Newcastle are planning to outbid Forest for Bergvall.
Sunderland could find a deal hard to agree if his price tag is raised even further, with De Zerbi making it clear that he will not stand in his way if the right offer arrives.
Speaking to the media from Tottenham's pre-season tour of New Zealand over the weekend, he 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'. I want proud players who are happy to stay here and to go on the pitch at Tottenham Stadium with a big motivation.
"I have not spoken with Lucas yet, 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. There will be a big competition to play because at the end I think we will be two players for each position.
“If he wants to stay, I will be happy. Otherwise, we have to find a new solution with Johan Lange, with Vinai (Venkatesham). It's not my business after the decision to leave (if that happens).”