Savinho Misses Man City Training as Spurs Target £70m Move

Tottenham’s long pursuit of Savinho has moved into its sharpest phase yet, with the Brazilian winger missing Manchester City training on Thursday and again making clear he wants out.

City listed illness as the reason for his absence from their open session, but the real story sits behind the scenes. According to Fabrizio Romano, Savinho has told City once more this week that he wants to leave and join Tottenham, underlining a stance he has held for some time.

Spurs have been tracking the 22-year-old for more than a year. They failed to get him through the door last summer. This time, they are pushing hard to finish the job.

De Zerbi’s green light

Savinho is not just a name on a recruitment spreadsheet. Roberto De Zerbi has approved the move and wants him as part of a broader attacking rebuild, with the Tottenham head coach keen to add at least two forwards before the September 1 deadline.

Inside the club, Savinho is viewed as a key piece of that plan. A prominent Tottenham source on X has suggested the deal is now expected to reach a “positive conclusion” within the next week, with a fee in the region of £70m being discussed.

There is, however, one major caveat: City.

The champions are open to letting Savinho go, but only once they secure a replacement. That condition mirrors the situation with another Spurs target, Cody Gakpo, who remains tied to Liverpool until they line up cover of their own.

Is £70m too much?

Tottenham’s new era under De Zerbi has already come with a clear message: they are prepared to spend. The club smashed through expectations to land Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali from West Ham United and Newcastle United respectively, paying a combined £185m and sending a jolt through the market.

Savinho, though, is a different type of gamble.

City brought him in from Girona for around £30m two years ago. Since then he has made 84 appearances for the eight-time Premier League champions, a solid tally but not the record of an undisputed starter. His output has been steady rather than spectacular, and he never fully nailed down a regular place under Pep Guardiola.

New City boss Enzo Maresca looks ready to move him on. That in itself raises an obvious question: why is a player who could not quite convince at City suddenly worth £70m to Spurs?

The talent is there. A winger does not survive two seasons in that squad without serious quality. Yet Tottenham are paying for potential as much as production, and in the current market that still feels a premium price.

The De Zerbi bet

This is where De Zerbi’s belief becomes central. At City, Savinho was a rotation option. At Tottenham, he would be lined up for regular football under a manager who clearly rates him and wants to build an attack that suits his strengths.

Spurs are effectively betting that a defined role, consistent minutes and a system tailored to his game will unlock a level he never consistently showed in Manchester. If that happens, £70m starts to look like the going rate for a prime-age, explosive winger with resale value.

If it doesn’t, they have overpaid.

For now, all roads point towards north London. Savinho wants the move. Tottenham want him. City are listening, as they search for the right replacement.

The fee, the risk, the upside – it all comes down to one thing: can De Zerbi turn a talented squad player into a £70m cornerstone of Spurs’ attack?