Fabrizio Romano details Roberto De Zerbi stance on Savinho transfer amid Tottenham talks with Man City | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has identified Manchester City winger Savinho as a player his club absolutely want, with a deal remaining active and conversations between the two clubs still ongoing, as per a new report.

The 22-year-old signed a new contract with Manchester City until June 2031 as recently as October 2025, committing his future to the Etihad Stadium despite reported interest from Tottenham at that time – raising fresh questions over whether City will again seek to retain the Brazil international this summer.

Savinho joined Manchester City from fellow City Football Group club Troyes in July 2024, building on a breakthrough loan spell at Girona the previous season in which he contributed nine goals and ten assists across 37 appearances in the Spanish top flight.

His debut campaign in the Premier League saw him make 48 appearances under Pep Guardiola, registering three goals and 13 assists, with his direct running, dribbling ability and crossing quality making him one of the more distinctive weapons available to his manager on the right side of attack.

Romano: De Zerbi “absolutely wants” Savinho as deal remains on

According to Fabrizio Romano, Savinho is one player Spurs and their manager Roberto De Zerbi absolutely want,” with a deal remaining “on” and conversations between the two clubs still active – suggesting the pursuit has not stalled despite City’s public preference to retain a player they re-signed to a long-term contract less than a year ago.

Reports elsewhere have placed Tottenham’s offer in the region of £60 million for Savinho, a figure that sits significantly below the value City placed on the winger when awarding him a contract until 2031 – and one that would need to rise considerably before Manchester City’s hierarchy would consider opening any formal negotiations over a player they are not believed to have placed on the market.

De Zerbi’s willingness to speak so openly about a transfer target under contract at a rival club is unconventional, and may reflect both the urgency of Tottenham’s need to strengthen in wide areas and a calculated attempt to apply indirect pressure on Savinho himself by making his desire for the player part of the public record.

What does De Zerbi’s declaration mean for Man City?

Manchester City’s position on Savinho remains similar to that which existed when he signed his contract extension last October – the club regard him as a genuine first-team asset under director of football Hugo Viana and Maresca’s new structure, and are not understood to be actively seeking to sell.

The calculus shifts, however, if Savinho himself were to signal a desire for the move – a scenario that becomes more plausible the longer De Zerbi continues to make his admiration public and the more concrete Tottenham’s approach becomes behind the scenes.

The £116 million already committed to Elliot Anderson means Viana has significant resource already deployed this summer, and proceeds from a Savinho sale – if City were persuaded to agree – would provide meaningful additional funds for the remaining positions still identified as priorities before the window closes.

Whether De Zerbi’s public declaration of interest accelerates a resolution or simply adds noise to an already active situation will become clearer in the coming days – but with Romano confirming conversations are still ongoing, the story of Savinho’s summer at the Etihad Stadium is far from over.