Savinho has remained one of Tottenham’s priority attacking targets throughout the summer, but with negotiations entering a crucial stage, here is everything we know about the proposed move so far.
Roberto De Zerbi recently confirmed that strengthening Tottenham’s attack is now the club’s main priority after already spending £237m to complete defensive and midfield reinforcements this summer.
At the top of that attacking shortlist for several weeks has been Manchester City winger Savinho, with Fabrizio Romano consistently maintaining that the deal is still ‘on’.
The Brazilian was one of the first players Spurs were linked with this summer, having also been firmly on the club’s radar 12 months earlier. Tottenham were even prepared to offer around £70m last summer, but Manchester City refused to entertain a sale so late in the window.
This summer, Spurs have looked to negotiate a deal closer to £60m after Savinho struggled for regular minutes last season. New Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca is understood to be open to letting the winger leave, but only after bringing in a replacement first.
That search for a replacement has taken longer than expected, which has inevitably delayed the deal. With negotiations now approaching what many believe will be their key stage over the coming days, there are still several hurdles left to overcome.
Where Tottenham’s move for Savinho currently stands
The Daily Mail recently reported that Savinho is pushing internally for a move to Tottenham, while Fabrizio Romano has since revealed that the Brazilian has now submitted a transfer request at the Etihad after already agreeing personal terms with Spurs.
Despite that, Tottenham have reportedly grown frustrated by the way negotiations have unfolded. The publication claims Manchester City’s valuation has changed since the initial discussions between the two clubs, with Spurs even making it clear they were prepared to walk away if talks continued to drag on.
That means Tottenham have not yet reached the stage of formally submitting an offer. Spurs are still hoping to complete a deal worth around £60m, but Romano recently explained that ‘the clubs are still pretty far apart on price.’
Even so, Romano and several other journalists have stressed that negotiations remain ongoing between the two clubs.
The situation became even more interesting following reports that AC Milan are prepared to rival Tottenham by proposing a loan deal with an obligation to buy worth between £43m and £47m. However, that proposal appears unlikely to appeal to Manchester City.
Savinho may have dropped the biggest hint about Tottenham transfer
If there has been one constant throughout the saga, it has been Savinho’s own actions, which have done little to quieten the rumours linking him with Tottenham.
During Manchester City’s pre-season tour of Asia, the Brazilian was making his way back towards the tunnel after the penalty shootout defeat to Inter Milan when one supporter shouted for him to join Spurs. Savinho looked towards the fan and responded with a thumbs up before heading inside.
Away from the pitch, the 22-year-old has also interacted with several Tottenham players despite having no obvious international or former club connection with them. He has followed or engaged with social media posts involving Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Pedro Porro, further adding to the speculation.
His former PSV Eindhoven teammate Xavi Simons has also played his part. The Tottenham midfielder first shared an old photograph of the pair together, before later replying with the eyes emoji when a supporter asked on TikTok whether Savinho would be joining him in North London.