De Zerbi Sets Strict Standards at Tottenham: Only the Committed Will Stay

Roberto de Zerbi has drawn a hard line at Tottenham – and it cuts straight through the heart of his dressing room.

If you’re not happy, you’re out.

Speaking in New Zealand ahead of Spurs’ pre-season friendly against Auckland FC on Sunday, the Italian was blunt when asked about uncertainty over Lucas Bergvall’s future and a mounting bid from Nottingham Forest.

“I said, who doesn't want to stay in Tottenham? Who is not happy, is not proud to stay here, has to leave,” De Zerbi declared. No caveats. No soft landing.

De Zerbi’s Tottenham, De Zerbi’s Rules

De Zerbi arrived at the end of March with Tottenham sliding towards trouble and dragged them away from the relegation fight. Now, with the club spending aggressively and reshaping the squad, he is setting the emotional tone as fiercely as the tactical one.

“I want the players to be proud and happy to stay here, to go on the pitch in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with big motivation,” he said. For him, desire is not a bonus; it is non‑negotiable. “Because now in football, if you think also in the World Cup, the motivation makes the difference. The motivation is to be happy to stay in one team.”

That message lands squarely on Bergvall’s shoulders.

The 20-year-old Sweden midfielder, signed from Djurgarden in 2024, has become the subject of serious interest. Tottenham have already turned down a £38m offer from Nottingham Forest, with the Midlands club readying an improved £45m bid.

On the pitch, Bergvall’s impact under De Zerbi has been fleeting. He started the Italian’s first game in charge, a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, then slipped to the fringes, used only four more times as a substitute before the season closed. Now, his pathway is more crowded than ever.

Spurs have spent heavily in midfield, landing Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United in a £100m deal and Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m. Two heavyweight arrivals in the very area where Bergvall hopes to grow.

De Zerbi, though, insists nothing has been decided.

“I have not spoken with Lucas yet,” he admitted. “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.”

Then came the reality check. “There will be a big competition to play because at the end, I think we will be two players for each position.”

Stay and fight, or go and play. The choice, De Zerbi suggests, is Bergvall’s.

“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.”

Market Still Open, Attack Still Short

Tottenham’s rebuild has not stopped with the midfield. At the back, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have been added to a squad that suddenly looks deeper, stronger and far more tailored to De Zerbi’s aggressive style.

The manager, though, is not satisfied yet.

“First of all, I think it's not finished yet, our transfer market window,” he said. “We have to finish, we have to bring another couple of, maybe more, maybe not less, but a couple of players.”

His priority is clear. “Now the target is to complete the attacking positions.” The spine has been reinforced; the edge of the team still needs sharpening.

For now, Bergvall is on the plane and part of the group in New Zealand. He trains, he travels, he waits. Around him, the squad is in flux.

Injuries, Returns and a Long Road Back

Not everyone has made the trip. Wingers Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski have stayed behind in London, still working back from long-term injuries.

“Kudus is very close,” De Zerbi revealed. “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.”

The news on Kulusevski is more cautious. “We have to see in the next couple of weeks,” De Zerbi said. “He's another important player. After one season, one complete season, without a game, we have to analyse better and better, don't take risks, first of all for him and then for us.”

If De Zerbi’s transfer demands hint at ambition, the injury stories underline how much quality Spurs have had to do without.

Few tales are as stark as that of Xavi Simons.

The attacking midfielder, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April, did not sugar-coat what followed. “The first four days were the worst days of my life,” he told the club’s website.

The Netherlands international required surgery, missed the 2026 World Cup and endured a brutal early recovery.

“I couldn't sleep, I didn't eat for one week,” he said. “I was in a lot of pain. I was vomiting and felt dizzy, it was everything. That pain, I don't wish no-one to go through that pain.

“I don't know what it's like for other players but, for me, it was like my whole body was saying like ‘what happened?’ This is what it is. I'm happy and in a good place now.”

His words strip away the gloss that often covers elite football. Behind De Zerbi’s talk of motivation and pride lies the reality of bodies breaking, careers pausing, and players fighting simply to walk without pain again.

A Squad on Edge

Tottenham stand at a sharp crossroads. A new manager who has already saved a season. A lavishly rebuilt midfield. Competition in every role. A coach demanding not just talent, but conviction.

Some will thrive in that environment. Some will not.

For Lucas Bergvall, for others weighing their futures, De Zerbi’s stance could not be clearer: stay only if you truly want to wear the shirt. With the transfer window still open and the squad still evolving, the next few weeks will reveal who really does.