A Showdown Brewing Over Savinho
Manchester City's pre-season has taken an awkward turn. Savinho, the 22-year-old Brazilian winger, was absent from Thursday's session under Enzo Maresca, with reports in his homeland claiming he is trying to force a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
The London club have formalised an offer worth £85m. Whether that is enough to tempt City into a sale remains unclear, but the message from the player's camp is unmistakable: he wants out.
It is a delicate moment for Maresca, who has spent the summer praising the winger's work in pre-season. A player who looked settled and valued now appears to have one eye on the exit door.
A Long-Standing Admiration
This is not a fleeting fancy from Spurs. Savinho has been on their radar since last summer, and they have now decided to test City's resolve with a substantial bid. According to Brazilian journalist Cahe Mota of Globo, the player skipped training to force the issue.
For Savinho, the appeal is clear. He sees more playing time and a more prominent role at Tottenham than he currently enjoys at the Etihad. That is a difficult argument for any young player to ignore.
Tottenham's Spending Spree
Tottenham's interest is part of a wider summer of upheaval in north London. They have already spent around £230m to bring in Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, and have added Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka on free transfers.
The squad is being reshaped, and the board are not finished. Reports suggest they want at least one new winger and/or striker before the window shuts, with Savinho and Liverpool's Cody Gakpo the leading targets.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Thursday that Spurs are actively working on both deals. He also dismissed talk of a move for Folarin Balogun, insisting there are no negotiations for the striker. The two priorities are clear: Gakpo and Savinho, with Pedro Neto an expensive alternative.
More to Come, Says Jacobs
Ben Jacobs expects Tottenham's business to continue beyond these two. He believes the club have already sorted out their defence and midfield, particularly with the signings of Tonali and Fernandes, and have addressed the goalkeeper situation with Kinsky secured and a backup brought in. Vicario, he suggests, might leave.
“By the end of this window, we are going to see, in my opinion at least, two more senior signings and an entire squad revamp,” Jacobs said.
Whether one of those two is Savinho depends on City's willingness to negotiate. The standoff has begun, and the ball is now firmly in the club's court.