Tottenham Hotspur have announced the signing of highly sought-after Swedish talent Lucas Bergvall, beating Spanish champions Barcelona to the punch.
Barca met with the player and it seemed like he was destined to join the Catalan giants, but Spurs swooped in to secure a last-minute deal.
Tottenham winger Dejan Kulusevski reportedly played a key role in convincing Bergvall to choose north London over Catalonia in a deal that represents a spectacular coup for the Lilywhites.
Spurs’ technical director Johan Lange has been the driving force behind the deal for Bergvall.
Bergvall and his family visited Spurs’ Hertfordshire training base on Monday, where he met with key figures, including Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy.
Spurs have an agreement with Swedish top-flight outfit Djurgarden, having agreed to fork out approximately £8.5 million, including performance-related bonuses.
The teenager, who turned 18 today, is expected in London to undergo a medical before signing a five-year contract keeping him at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until the summer of 2029.
Bergvall is expected to remain at Djurgarden for the remainder of the season before linking up with Postecoglou’s first-team squad next summer.
The youngster has featured 29 times in all competitions for Djurgarden, returning three goals and an assist. He has also made his national team debut for Sweden, featuring in the 2-1 friendly win over Estonia.
Bergvall is the third acquisition for Spurs this year after they signed Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin to reinforce departments decimated by injuries.
Postecoglou had previously emphasised the importance of getting their January transfer business sorted out as early as possible, and the club did just that to boost their top-four bid.
Spurs secured a come-from-behind 3-2 midweek victory over Brentford in a feisty London derby to leapfrog Aston Villa into the Champions League places, albeit on goal difference.