Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall has gone from looking close to leaving to signing a new long-term contract with Spurs.
There has been a major squad overhaul at Spurs after they came close to suffering relegation from the Premier League last season.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi was backed more than any other Tottenham manager, with over £300m spent on summer signings.
Most of Tottenham’s spend went on rebuilding their midfield with the signings of Sandro Tonali and Matheus Fernandes, and this fuelled reports linking Bergvall with an exit.
In the summer, Bergvall reportedly expressed a desire to leave amid interest from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, but a deal did not happen as the interested clubs did not match Tottenham’s asking price.
“We’re building something great here…”
Now, Tottenham have announced that Bergvall has signed a new contract to commit himself to the north London outfit, and he has stated that he is staying because the club is “building something great”.
“I think we’re building something great here. It’s an exciting time for the Club and that’s why I’m happy to extend my contract,” Bergvall said in an interview for Tottenham’s website.
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“I’m always trying to achieve as much as possible, to be the best version of myself both on and off the pitch and I know this is the right place to do that.
“Personally, my goal is to produce more for the team – performances, goals and assists – to help as much as I can.
“I’m getting better every day in training and I’m looking forward to what will be a really good season ahead.”
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Spurs boss De Zerbi, meanwhile, has lauded Bergvall’s attitude and quality with his “best football still ahead of him”.
De Zerbi said: “Every day in training you can see Lucas’ desire to learn, improve and push himself to the highest level.
“Lucas is brave, he wants responsibility and has the personality to play in big moments. He also understands that development is a process and he has shown a fantastic attitude towards working on the areas of his game where he can become even better.
“I believe his best football is still ahead of him and we want to give Lucas the platform to reach his full potential.”
Sporting Director Johan Lange added: “Lucas is an outstanding young player with enormous potential and we are delighted that he has committed his future to the Club.
“From the moment he arrived, he has demonstrated not only his technical ability and intelligence on the pitch, but also the character we expect from our players.
“Lucas has a fantastic attitude to his work, he is eager to learn and improve every day, and he has become an important part of the group.
“This new contract is a reflection of our belief in Lucas and the role we see him playing both now and in the future of the Club.”