Tottenham Closing in on Savinho as City Targets Mbaye

Tottenham Hotspur look to have finally got their man. A year after being rebuffed in their pursuit of Savinho, Spurs are now closing on a £65million deal for the Manchester City winger – and the champions have already started moving for his replacement.

Spurs first tried to prise Savinho from City last summer, even indicating they were ready to go as high as £60m. The answer was a firm no. City had no intention of cashing in and briefly toyed with the idea of replacing him with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, a concept that never got beyond the exploratory stage before both moves collapsed.

Savinho, frustrated with his lack of minutes under Pep Guardiola and keen to become a central figure in north London, had been open to the switch. Instead, he signed a new six‑year contract at the Etihad, a decision that appeared to slam the door on Tottenham’s hopes.

It didn’t. It only paused them.

The speculation died down for a spell, then Spurs circled back. In recent months, their interest has hardened into a renewed push, with Savinho once again at the top of their attacking wishlist.

On Thursday, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano cut through the noise around alternative targets and underlined where Tottenham’s focus truly lies. Reports in Italy had linked Spurs with Napoli’s Antonio Vergara; Romano dismissed those outright, stressing that Vergara is signing a new deal in Naples with an improved salary and has never been on Tottenham’s agenda, despite earlier rumours.

The message from his camp was clear: ignore the distractions. The winger Ange Postecoglou wants is Savinho.

City turn to Ibrahim Mbaye

As Tottenham edge closer, Manchester City are already adjusting their own plans. According to the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones, the Premier League champions have turned their attention to Paris Saint‑Germain’s highly rated Ibrahim Mbaye as they prepare to sign off on Savinho’s sale.

Jones reports that City, Aston Villa, Tottenham and RB Leipzig are all tracking Mbaye, the 18‑year‑old PSG winger who caught the eye with Senegal at the World Cup. With competition for places in Paris set to intensify, Mbaye is understood to be ready to move on in search of regular first‑team football.

He is now represented by Jorge Mendes, a development that will only increase the intensity around his situation. Jones writes that City are actively in the winger market as they “close the sale of Savinho to Tottenham for around £65million”, having previously sounded out Real Madrid over Rodrygo last year and lined up other options as well.

Tottenham’s winger call: Savinho over Leao

If Jones’ information holds, Spurs have nudged their offer for Savinho up from last year’s level to £65m and are now poised to get the deal over the line. The process is expected to be relatively straightforward: Savinho wants the move, and personal terms are not seen as an obstacle.

Tottenham have explored a range of wide options this summer. Cody Gakpo’s name has been on the list, as has Rafael Leao’s. But Liverpool have already made their stance on Gakpo plain, deciding this week that he will not be sold as they aim to strengthen, not thin, their own wing options.

Leao, meanwhile, has been a live possibility. On July 5 it emerged that the AC Milan star had given the green light to a potential switch to Spurs in a deal worth around €50m (£42m). Under normal circumstances, that kind of opportunity would be hard to ignore.

Yet Tottenham appear ready to walk away from that path and commit far more money to Savinho instead. It is a statement of preference as much as a statement of ambition: a clear decision on the profile of winger they want to build around.

If the numbers being discussed turn into signatures, Spurs will have beaten off elite competition to land a 22‑year‑old they believe can transform their attack, while City pivot into a new generation with Mbaye in their sights. One club cashing in, one club doubling down – and a Brazilian winger at the centre of it all.