Savinho Pushes for Tottenham Move Under De Zerbi

Savinho has made his move. Now he is waiting for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur to catch up.

The 22-year-old Brazil international has told City he wants out this summer, and he wants only one destination: north London, to play under Roberto De Zerbi at Spurs. Personal terms are already agreed. The deal, from the player’s side, is done.

The problem sits between the clubs.

A winger in a hurry

Savinho arrived at the Etihad in 2024 from within the City Football Group network, fresh from a breakout loan spell at Girona in La Liga that turned him into one of Europe’s most talked-about young wingers. Electric off the flank, direct, fearless – he looked built for the top end of the game.

His City spell never fully matched the hype. There were flashes – sharp cameos, the odd game where his one‑v‑one ability ripped open tired defences – but he never forced his way to the front of Pep Guardiola’s attacking queue. In the 2025-26 season he managed just 24 appearances in all competitions, a modest return in a squad stacked with wide forwards and attacking midfielders.

Now, with Enzo Maresca arriving and the wide areas at City as congested as ever, Savinho has decided he cannot afford another season on the fringes. He has already submitted a formal transfer request, a clear line in the sand from a player who feels his career needs a different stage.

De Zerbi effect pulls Spurs to the front

That stage, in his mind, is Tottenham under De Zerbi.

Spurs pushed for Savinho last summer and never fully dropped their interest. This time, they have gone further. According to Fabrizio Romano, Savinho has agreed personal terms with Tottenham and wants to join De Zerbi “as soon as possible”, underlining how strongly he believes in the Italian’s attacking blueprint.

For a winger of his profile, the attraction is obvious. De Zerbi’s football asks wide forwards to be brave, aggressive and constantly on the ball. It offers risk, but also responsibility. After a City spell that did not consistently lean into his strengths, Savinho sees Spurs as the place where his game can finally breathe at the highest level.

His stance ramps up the pressure on City. When a player makes his preference this clear, the clock starts ticking.

City stand firm on valuation

Yet City hold the contract. And the leverage.

Savinho is tied to the club until 2031, a long-term deal that gives City little reason to panic. They want to recoup a significant fee and are not prepared to move just because the player has decided his future lies elsewhere.

Romano’s description of the clubs being “pretty far apart” on the transfer fee is telling. This is not a late-stage haggle over add-ons. It is a genuine gap. One side believes the market should pay a premium for a 22-year-old Brazil international with upside; the other sees a player who has not yet nailed down a starting role at elite level and wants the price to reflect that reality.

Until one of them shifts, the move stays stuck.

A deal that could shape City’s window

The stalemate is not just about Savinho’s next club. It cuts into City’s wider summer plans.

The champions have already committed significant resources to the signing of Elliot Anderson, and there are still areas of the squad they would like to address before the window closes. A substantial fee for Savinho would give director of football Hugo Viana the room to manoeuvre, both in terms of finances and squad space.

That makes this more than a simple winger sale. It is a lever that could unlock the rest of City’s business.

For now, though, Savinho waits. Tottenham wait. De Zerbi waits.

City know they have a valuable asset under a long contract. Spurs know they have the player’s word and a manager he is desperate to play for. Somewhere between those two positions lies a number that will decide whether Savinho’s next step comes in the white of Tottenham or in another season of frustration in sky blue.