Aston Villa May Intensify Pursuit of Tottenham's Bergvall After Onana's ACL Injury

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Jul 8, 2026, 1:56 PM ET

Aston Villa have identified Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall as a potential replacement for the injured Amadou Onana, according to reports.

Background

Tottenham Hotspur have made an unexpectedly strong start to the summer transfer window, bringing in three defenders, two midfielders, and a goalkeeper. Club officials remain confident of adding further attacking firepower to the frontline.

However, the arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have cast doubt over the futures of several existing midfielders. One of those is Lucas Bergvall.

The 20-year-old Sweden international has expressed a wish to leave north London this summer, seeking regular first-team football after finding himself on the periphery under manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Existing Interest

Bergvall has already attracted attention from multiple clubs:

• Nottingham Forest have him on their list to replace Elliott Anderson
• Borussia Dortmund are monitoring his situation

Aston Villa have now joined the race.

Aston Villa's Interest

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa could target Bergvall to fill the void left by Amadou Onana's injury.

Onana ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee while playing for Belgium at the World Cup. He was substituted 21 minutes into Belgium's 4-1 win over the United States in the round of 16 earlier this week. After receiving treatment on the pitch, the 24-year-old midfielder limped off and was later seen on crutches wearing a knee brace.

Onana is expected to be sidelined for at least nine months, potentially up to a year depending on the speed of his rehabilitation. This means he will miss the first half of the 2026/27 season, prompting Aston Villa to act in the transfer market. The club had already been seeking midfield reinforcements before Onana's injury, and this development has accelerated their pursuit of Bergvall.

Bergvall's Situation at Tottenham

Recent reports indicate that De Zerbi and Tottenham officials have held private talks with Bergvall, assuring him he remains central to the club's long-term plans and that they have no intention of letting him leave this summer.

However, given the high-profile additions of Tonali and Fernandes, combined with Spurs' reduced fixture schedule after failing to qualify for European competition, Bergvall remains concerned about first-team minutes next season.

Potential Move to Villa

A move to Aston Villa could prove ideal for the Swedish talent. It would offer:

• Regular playing time
• The opportunity to establish himself in Unai Emery's first XI
• The appeal of Champions League football

Following Onana's long-term knee injury, the Villans may turn to Bergvall to fill the void. It remains to be seen whether they will make a formal offer for the Tottenham midfielder.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.