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The Tottenham Hotspur boss has high hopes for one of the club's gifted teenage midfielders and has compared him to a Liverpool star
Thomas Frank believes Lucas Bergvall can become his version of Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai and a big part of Tottenham's future.
The 19-year-old arrived from Swedish side Djurgarden last summer but has already played 66 times for the north London side, scoring twice and laying on eight assists. So impressive was his adaptation last season under Ange Postecoglou, playing his part in Spurs' Europa League victory despite missing the semi-finals and final with an ankle injury, that he was handed a bumper new long-term contract in April within nine months of arriving in the Premier League.
Bergvall swept the fans' Player of the Year awards at the end of his debut campaign and now Frank believes the versatile teenager will become a star for the long term at Tottenham and compared him to one of Arne Slot's title-winning stars.
"Lucas is very talented. I think he will end up as what we call an eight, that’s where I think he will end, but who knows?" he said. "He’s more than capable of playing as a 10 or he can play a more midfield role from the side as he did against Liverpool.
"He’s a player we can use in different roles which is hugely beneficial and important, to have that player who can run in behind, he’s very good at pressing, good on the ball and he can drive forward with the ball.
"You need different types. For example against Liverpool, they came in with five midfielders so he moved in ahead of the extra midfielder. The way he defended for the first half hour was a big reason why I felt we were slightly on top in those 30 minutes. It was a big reason for doing that instead of playing with two main wingers."
He added: "To have a player like Lucas who can be that flexible is very important. Over time he will fall into a more fixed position. It’s completely normal for a young player to play in different positions.
"To be that flexible is a huge boost. Look at Szoboszlai, who we all think is one of the best midfielders in the league. He’s playing 10, eight, six, right-back, right-winger, nine, centre-back… maybe not nine and centre-back, but he played all the other roles! It’s very important to have a player like that."
When asked whether Bergvall reminded him directly of the 25-year-old Hungarian, the Spurs boss admitted that from the outside there are similar traits.
"That’s maybe the one, as you asked me and I’m on the spot here, because both have fantastic running power and both drive with the ball," said the Dane. "I don’t know Szoboszlai, it looks from the outside looks like he’s a good personality. Lucas is a great personality and a great character. He’s a big part of the future we are trying to create here."
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