Nottingham Forest are set to make an improved £45 million offer for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall, according to reports.
The Premier League club saw an initial £38m bid rejected last week, but are determined to land the 20-year-old Sweden international who is pushing for a move to the City Ground. BBC Sport understands the player wants the move after growing frustrated with limited minutes under Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi, often being deployed out of his preferred deep-lying number six role.
Bergvall’s Tottenham Journey Nearing an End
Bergvall joined Spurs from Swedish side Djurgarden in 2024 and was named the club’s Player of the Year after his debut season, which ended with the club lifting the Europa League trophy – their first silverware in 17 years. He signed a new long-term contract in April 2025, keeping him at the club until 2031, but his second season saw a dip in form and fitness.
Lucas Bergvall – 2025/26 Snapshot
Age: 20
Appearances: 33
Ankle surgery absence: Missed two months
International caps: 14 (Sweden)
World Cup 2026: Round of 32 (eliminated by France)
Contract: Until 2031
Bergvall featured at the 2026 World Cup where Sweden lost to France in the last 32, and has been on holiday following the tournament.
Glasner Hints at Impatience and ‘Divorce’ Analogy
New Forest boss Oliver Glasner, speaking in his first press conference on Thursday, did not directly confirm the Bergvall bid but made his feelings clear on the need for swift recruitment.
"I have one strength and weakness, it's impatience. Sometimes it's a strength, sometimes it's a weakness," Glasner said. "Of course, I would have hoped they already trained with us on the other side. It's impossible because the players we're now talking to they play at the World Cup so are still on vacation. I'm pretty convinced we will have a few players joining us in Portugal [on a training camp]."
Glasner, appointed as Forest's fifth manager in less than a year, also addressed the club's need for stability in a separate media appearance:
"Nobody wants to get divorced," he said, underscoring his desire to build a long-term project under ambitious owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest’s Summer Strategy: Quality Over Quantity
Forest are not stopping with Bergvall. They are seeking another midfielder following Elliot Anderson’s record-breaking departure to Manchester City. Unlike last summer’s chaotic £180m spree on 13 players, the club is now targeting quality over quantity, with a goalkeeper to support Matz Sels and John Victor, and a striker to relieve the burden on Chris Wood (who turns 35 in December) and Igor Jesus also on the shopping list.
Should the £45m bid be accepted, Bergvall would become the latest piece in Glasner’s rebuild as Forest aim to climb the Premier League table and recapture the “sweet honey” of European football that Glasner mentioned.
