Nottingham Forest have made an opening £38m bid for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall as they search for a replacement for Elliot Anderson, according to reports. The Athletic and the BBC report that Spurs rejected the initial offer, with the North London club holding out for a fee in the region of £45m to £50m for the 20-year-old Sweden international. Forest are now reportedly preparing an improved second offer of £45m to secure the midfielder, who is contracted at Tottenham until June 2031.
Midfield shake-up drives Bergvall pursuit
Forest have a significant void to fill in their midfield following Anderson's high-profile £116m departure to Manchester City. Bergvall, who joined Spurs from Djurgarden for £8.5m in 2024, is viewed as an ideal tactical fit to partner Ibrahim Sangare due to his ball-carrying capability and dynamic profile. However, Tottenham's valuation reflects both his long-term contract—signed in April 2025—and his high ceiling, despite his struggles to secure a regular starting spot under head coach Roberto De Zerbi.
De Zerbi stance and intense competition
Bergvall has sought a move away from Tottenham to secure regular first-team minutes. His path to the starting line-up has been complicated by the club's heavy summer investment, which included bringing in midfielders Sandro Tonali for £100m and Mateus Fernandes for £85m. Speaking on his future, De Zerbi stated: "He wants space. He wants to play as a double pivot as a position. I can't give, for any player in the world, the place in the first XI guaranteed." Although De Zerbi expressed a desire for Bergvall to stay, he acknowledged he would not force any player to remain against their wishes. Forest face substantial competition if talks progress, with Aston Villa, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Napoli also credited with interest in the player.
