Tottenham Hotspur are being linked with a move for Manchester City winger Savinho.
According to reports, the Brazilian has told Man City that he would like to leave the club this summer after struggling to make an impact at the Etihad Stadium. Savinho has played 84 times for Man City across two seasons, with seven goals and 13 assists in all competitions. But he has started 52 of those and only averages around 54 minutes per appearance.
Tottenham have emerged as the favourites for the Brazilian’s signature, as they look to put their relegation battle behind them. Roberto De Zerbi’s men have already made big moves to improve their squad. And Savinho would be another good improvement.
Savinho transfer analysis:
Why did Savinho struggle at Man City?
When Savinho joined Man City, there was a lot of hype. He arrived in England off the back of a season with Girona in which he scored nine goals and provided 10 assists in 37 La Liga matches. They came at an average of 0.57 per 90 minutes. But across two Premier League campaigns for Man City, Savinho averaged 0.38 direct goal involvements per 90, with two goals and nine assists in total.
The main issue for Savinho was the quality of opposition for starting spots. It’s going to happen at a club like Man City, and we’ve seen many players take a few seasons before becoming regular starters under Pep Guardiola. Savinho had his chances, but was very much a utility man for Guardiola, which may have counted against him. He was used in various positions on the flank, never really nailing down one single role.
Consistency has also been a struggle for Savinho at Man City. That is partly down to the rotation in Man City’s squad, but also due to his own periods of low-return. Savinho’s best run of starts came in between February and April 2025, with seven in a row. He provided three assists during that one, including in the final match against Leicester City. But he was then dropped for the very next match against Manchester United — not even coming off the bench. In fact, Savinho only started one of Man City’s final eight league games that season, coming off the bench in a further three.
When he has been in the team, Savinho has averaged 1.91 chances created per 90 for Man City in his two Premier League seasons to date. That places him eighth among Man City players with at least 2,000 minutes in the two seasons. He also ranked seventh for his 0.38 big chances created, and fifth for take-ons completed. It was a similar story for his 2.61 shots per 90 (eighth) and 1.11 shots on target (third). While they’re decent numbers, it wasn’t good enough to warrant being first-choice in his position.
Why are Tottenham being linked with Savinho?
The question is, why should Tottenham fans be happy with a fringe Man City star? Firstly, Tottenham are some way off Man City’s quality after their relegation battle went to the final day last season. And then there’s the truth of a real lack of wing options right now.
In terms of recognised wingers, Tottenham currently have Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert on their books. Mikey Moore and Yan Min-hyeok are other options, but they’re more likely to be loaned out. And the likes of Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons can all play on the wings, but they’ll want to play in their preferred positions. Odobert is currently out with an ACL injury and won’t be back until November at the earliest, while Kudus had his own injury issues last season. And Simons will be out until next year with an ACL injury of his own.
So Tottenham really need a starter to join the attack alongside Kudus and likely James Maddison. Savinho lines up well against Tottenham’s attacking players from last season, too. His 1.3 shots on target per 90 is better than Kudus, Odobert, Tel and Simons all managed in the Premier League. None of the four managed even half of Savinho’s output. It’s a similar story with his 8.7 touches in the opposition box per 90. Tel was Tottenham’s best there, averaging 4.6 per 90 — though he had a decent amount of minutes as the centre-forward.
Even when Savinho does trail in certain winger metrics, it’s not too bad. Because wingers will be used for different roles. Simons (2.3) won more fouls per 90 than Savinho’s 1.7, but the Brazil still beat the rest. He also ranked second for goals per 90, only behind Tel’s 0.3. Savinho’s numbers will boost Tottenham a unit, rather than being the standout star to immediately change their fortunes.
Where would Savinho play at Tottenham?
Although Savinho played more on the right flank for Man City, he’d likely start on the left at Tottenham. Kudus will be first-choice there, though the two can be interchangeable both from the start and in-game.
Both Kudus and Savinho can either be the creative winger, or attack the box when the ball is on the opposing flank. Their interchange will be key, particularly with Simons out long-term. But they will have more-than-capable support in the middle.
While losing Simons is a big blow, Tottenham were able to welcome James Maddison back towards the end of last season. He missed most of the campaign through injury but looked good in his cameos after returning. And he’ll be fired by his absence, looking to make up for lost time. With Maddison through the middle, Kudus and Savinho would get a constant supply to aid their attacking abilities.
There is a question of who will lead the line for Tottenham this season. Dominic Solanke will hope to be first-choice but he struggled for form and fitness last season. Richarlison did well in spells in his stead, while Tel will also be hoping for more of a central role. There are also reports that Tottenham may look to the transfer market for a new striker. Whoever it is, it’s key that they can link up well with the three players behind them.