Spurs star who "Chelsea’s decision-makers really like" linked with summer transfer
This summer’s transfer activity surrounding Tottenham has been a little like those circus cars that clowns drive. Quite noisy, has the look of a wild ride, and of course, there’s the ever-present sense of a total shambles close to ungraciously unfolding.
Spurs have been linked with a good few players, and one gets the sense that the relief of avoiding relegation has been carrying many of the stories. I’m not accusing anyone of making stuff up, but the next season at Spurs is far from straightforward, and it will be interesting to see who actually gets signed, when all the dancing is at an end.
Back-to-back 17th-placed finishes simply cannot be ignored, or glossed over as mere ‘blips’.
One issue that needs looking at is who will De Zerbi train? Beyond the players that are due back, we also have too many that are simply not getting game time, despite having been heralded as ‘stars in the making’, or ‘Shooting Stars’, and we’re back to the clown car analogy, with very little effort.
Archie Gray, in a bizarre twist, won the Men's Young Player of the Year in February, and subsequently saw his career at Tottenham mothballed. Or as the polite version has it, he’s been underplayed and underutilised in his natural central midfield role at Spurs.
Another one in a similar boat, it could be argued, is Lucas Bergvall. In short, neither lad has really been given a clear role.
Now, Si Phillips Talks Chelsea understands that they are back in for Bergvall once again.
He is a player that Chelsea’s decision-makers really like, and he is now once again being heavily scouted at the World Cup.
On top of this, one source has mentioned him again to me this week and suggests there are some tentative whispers around him and Chelsea once again. This could well mean that something is sparking back up with Bergvall and Chelsea.
Spurs are obviously keen to hold onto their 20-year-old Swedish international, but there is belief that the player himself would be open to leaving the club this summer - so Chelsea sense a possible chance of prizing him away.
I’d like Bergvall to stay; I think he has class. I’d like to see Gray managed, and I would also like to stop talking about Luka Vuskovic and see him in the Lilywhite.
What I sense is that Chelsea and others see what a mess we are, and are stalking us like those apex predators who spend their entire day skulking about, looking for someone who’s weakened or vulnerable.
It’s okay, we’ve got men with orange wigs and colossally oversized shoes who are armed with buckets of confetti to defend us.
I can't see us selling him unless crazy money is offered, and not to Chelsea. No doubt Bergvall has the talent. I think he's been suffering because of the poor results and attitude of his teammates. He seems to play better as an 8 so hopefully De Zerbi has plans to play him there. It's hard to say exactly how Gray is supposed to fit into the team. If we play both they would have to figure out who takes which role, or are they too similar? After watching some clips of Gray I was impressed with his long range passing and ability to read the game, but I wonder if he's strong enough to be effective defensively to play as a 6. In any case I'd like to see them both get a proper chance. While they haven't set the world alight yet you can't say anything negative about their attitude. These lads are mentally tougher than most of the players in the squad and to be honest I'd rather see either given the armband ahead of someone like Pedro fucking Porro.
As ever it is the coach and the level of ability and professionalism of the players around then that will determine the mid term future of these players .
For all sorts of reasons the spend up this window is crucial ( when is it not ) not only to keep our decent players but to keep real potential at the club . Robbing Peter to pay Paul simply won’t cut it.