Roberto De Zerbi says he wants Lucas Bergvall to stay at Tottenham despite not being able to guarantee him a starting role.

Bergvall has reportedly told Spurs that he wants to leave this transfer window and is the subject of interest from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

However, he is with Spurs on their pre-season tour in Sydney, starting their 1-1 draw against Sydney FC, which De Zerbi's side eventually won 4-2 on penalties.

After De Zerbi was brought in at the end of March, Bergvall made five Premier League appearances totalling 112 minutes, only starting one of those matches.

"I'm always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us," said De Zerbi.

"I think he's potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don't want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club, and we are not to convince anyone to stay.

"He can find the space if he stays with us. The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham, and we have to build a strong squad – not just 11 players – especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons.

"Football is going in a clear direction – to compete for the highest places in the table, you have to manage 22, 23, 24 players. I don't want 24, but 21, 22, of a high level."

Bergvall has seemingly slipped further down the pecking order at Spurs following the big-money signings of Mateus Fernandes (£85m) and Sandro Tonali (£100m), both of whom also play in the deeper-lying role preferred by the Swede.

"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," De Zerbi added.

"I want to be honest with the players. I want to be clear. I don't want to make the first mistake. In terms of position, I can't give guarantee. It's right when he wants to play as a central midfielder.

"But to play as a central midfielder, sometimes it is to attack, sometimes to keep the holder, to move the ball faster. He has to improve."

"We have to have the right spirit, but if he doesn't want [to stay], then what can I do? Nothing."