Savinho Absence Disrupts Manchester City's Community Shield Plans

Enzo Maresca’s plans for his first piece of Manchester City silverware have been dealt an unwelcome twist.

As City stepped up preparations for the Community Shield clash with Arsenal at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Savinho was a conspicuous absentee from their latest session at the City Football Academy. The 22-year-old Brazilian, viewed as one of the brightest emerging attacking options in the squad, missed training through illness, according to The Athletic’s Sam Lee.

For a manager still bedding in his ideas before the season’s traditional curtain-raiser, it is a disruption he could have done without.

Savinho out, Grealish back in the mix

While Savinho stayed away, there was a very different kind of headline on the pitch. Jack Grealish was back with the group, pushing to make what would be his first appearance for City in over a year after a long and frustrating battle with injury.

His return added a notable edge to the session. Grealish worked alongside Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and January signing Marc Guehi, all of them jostling for a place in Maresca’s XI against Mikel Arteta’s side this weekend. For a game that often acts as a glorified friendly, the competition for starting spots felt anything but casual.

Yet Savinho’s absence lingers over it all, not just because of his potential role against Arsenal, but because of what is happening 150 miles away in north London.

Tottenham circle as City weigh their hand

The timing could hardly be more pointed. Tottenham are closing in on what they hope will be the centrepiece of their attacking rebuild, with Roberto De Zerbi reportedly close to landing his primary target. Spurs are understood to be nearing a full agreement for the £60 million-rated winger, whose stock has rocketed over the past year.

Tottenham’s intent has been unmistakable. After back-to-back 17th-place Premier League finishes and a slide away from the elite, the club has torn into this window with a sense of urgency bordering on ruthless.

They started at the back. Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke arrived to stiffen a defence that had creaked for too long. Once that foundation was laid, the money poured into midfield: a combined £185 million on Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, a statement that Spurs want control of games again, not just chaos.

Now the gaze is fixed on the final third, and Savinho sits at the top of that list.

Sales to fund the final push

To make it happen, Spurs are ready to cash in on some big names. Cristian Romero is on the brink of a move to Atletico Madrid, a deal that would break up one of their most high-profile defensive partnerships. Full-back Djed Spence is expected to complete a switch to Inter.

Those exits are designed to open up the financial space required to truly test City’s resolve. That, of course, is where it gets complicated. Selling a highly rated 22-year-old attacker to a direct domestic rival is not a decision the Etihad hierarchy will take lightly, especially without a replacement lined up.

If City dig in and a deal for Savinho becomes too awkward or too expensive, Tottenham have already sketched out a Plan B.

Gakpo as the alternative

Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo has been identified as another elite option admired at Hotspur Way. The Dutch international’s versatility and output make him an appealing fit for De Zerbi’s front line.

Getting him out of Anfield, though, looks a very different challenge. Journalist Ben Jacobs has reported that Liverpool are reluctant to sanction Gakpo’s departure unless they secure multiple attacking reinforcements first. With time running down in the window, that kind of chain reaction is far from straightforward.

So Tottenham wait, and push, and negotiate. Savinho remains the priority, Gakpo the more complex alternative.

The deadline is closing in, and Spurs have one final piece left in an already dramatic rebuild. Whether it is the Brazilian in City blue or the Dutchman in Liverpool red who eventually walks through the door, De Zerbi’s revamped attack is coming. The only question now is whose resolve cracks first.