Tottenham Nears £60m Deal for Savinho as De Zerbi's Rebuild Progresses

Roberto De Zerbi is about to get his man. Again.

Tottenham are edging towards a full agreement with Manchester City for Savinho, the £60 million-rated Brazilian winger who has sat at the very top of De Zerbi’s attacking wishlist all summer. Talks between the clubs are described as advanced, with the deal now hinging on City finding a replacement before giving the final green light.

This is not a speculative punt. It is the centrepiece of a lavish plan.

A £300m statement in the making

Spurs have already ripped up their usual script in this window. The arrivals of Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke signalled serious intent; Savinho would take it to another level entirely.

With around £230m already committed, landing the City winger would push Tottenham’s outlay towards the £300m mark. That is the sort of figure that changes the temperature around a club. It alters expectations in the dressing room, in the boardroom, and in the stands.

It also puts De Zerbi squarely under the spotlight. Spend at that scale and “transition season” stops being part of the vocabulary. Spurs are arming him to attack the Premier League’s established elite, not just edge closer to them.

De Zerbi’s chosen one

Tottenham have scanned the market. Cody Gakpo of Liverpool was among the alternatives explored, a reminder that the club were not short of options in the wide forward department.

Yet every time the conversation came back to the manager, the answer was the same: Savinho.

He is not just a name on a list; he is the plan. The winger’s profile, his ability to stretch the pitch, his aggression in one‑v‑one situations – all of it fits the kind of high-tempo, front-foot football De Zerbi wants to impose in North London.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano underlined that point, stressing that Savinho remains the clear priority in Tottenham’s recruitment drive. As he put it, Savinho is the “number one, two, and three target” for Spurs, and there is strong confidence that the deal will be completed before the summer window shuts. Romano added that he does not expect late twists in this particular chase.

City’s delay, Spurs’ wait

For now, the move sits in a holding pattern. Not because of doubts over the player, or the fee, but because of Manchester City’s own planning.

City want their replacement lined up before they sign off on the sale. Until they lock in their incoming winger, Spurs must wait at the door, agreement close but not yet sealed.

It is a familiar dynamic in the modern market: one elite club’s rebuild depends on another’s. Tottenham have done their part, placing Savinho at the heart of their project and pushing hard to get him out of the Etihad’s orbit.

If and when the final approval arrives from City, Spurs will be ready to move fast. A £60m Brazilian winger unveiled in North London, a transfer window hurtling towards the £300m mark, and a manager with no hiding place.

Tottenham are not just spending. They are betting that De Zerbi and Savinho can drag them into the conversation that has eluded them for so long.