Tottenham Hotspur need to take immediate action if they want to boost Roberto De Zerbi's chances of winning some silverware this season.
Tottenham Hotspur are in a race against time to sign Savinho and Omar Marmoush. The Manchester City duo could make their debuts for the Lilywhites as soon as Wednesday night, when Roberto De Zerbi's side hosts Charlton Athletic in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
football.london understands that Spurs are interested in signing Savinho and Marmoush, who both face uncertain futures at the Etihad Stadium. Talks have been progressing between Tottenham and Manchester City as Johan Lange looks to finally get his hands on an attack-minded player, having only signed three defenders, two midfielders, and a goalkeeper this summer.
The Lilywhites are long admirers of Savinho, and there was first hope at Hotspur Way that a deal could be struck during the pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia. Last month, football.london also reported that De Zerbi was a big fan of Marmoush.
As it stands, it remains to be seen whether Spurs manage to get both deals over the line. Tottenham, of course, have until 11pm on Tuesday, September 1, when the summer transfer window slams shut, to secure their signatures.
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But if Lange wants to see the Manchester City duo in action on Wednesday night, when the Lilywhites face Charlton in the Carabao Cup, then he'll need to register them by midday on Tuesday.
EFL rules state: "Documents have to be submitted prior to 12 noon on the day prior to the date of the relevant match. So, for matches to be played on Tuesday, 3 February, forms will have to be received prior to 12 noon on deadline day.
"Any applications received after 12 noon on deadline day (and before the window closes) will still be processed, but players will not be eligible until Wednesday, 4 February."
The same registration rules apply in the Premier League. So, if Tottenham were to want Savinho and Marmoush available to play against Newcastle United on Saturday, August 29, they would need to register the duo by midday on Friday, August 28.
Speaking to reporters following a disappointing defeat to Brentford on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season, De Zerbi conceded there's room for improvement. At the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Spurs boss said: "For many reasons, I think we are not a team yet.
"We are not at the right point in physical condition. But no excuse. When you are building a new project, I don’t want time, but we have to pass through these problems.
"I believe in my players, my club and myself. I think we are working well, but we are late for the start of the Premier League. It’s a step we have to improve quickly.
"We could fight stronger than we did today, and we lost too many duels. The target is to become a team. To find the spirit, the soul, is a process."
Although Tottenham may not necessarily need Savinho and Marmoush to overcome Charlton, having the Manchester City duo in the squad would give De Zerbi a huge boost as he looks to mark his first full season in charge with a trophy...