Spurs talk Nico Gonzalez with Manchester City
Fabrizio Romano does not use the phrase “progressing well” unless it means something. When the Italian journalist describes Spurs’ negotiations for Savinho as advancing at pace, with the club believing the Brazilian himself wants the move, the transfer market interprets that as a club-to-club agreement approaching rather than departing.
Gary Ward’s disclosure (also via X) that Tottenham broached the subject of Nico Gonzalez during those same Savinho negotiations adds a dimension to the story that the headline number, £60m for a winger who started seven Premier League games (loads of talent regardless), somewhat obscures.
This season, with Antoine Semenyo arriving and taking Savinho’s nominal first-team territory, the Brazilian’s opportunities contracted further. Five goals and three assists across all competitions. A player of genuine ability operating as an expensive observer of matches he should be influencing.
De Zerbi’s system rewards exactly what Savinho does well. Brighton, under the Italian, deployed wingers who carried the ball directly, who pressed with intensity in the attacking third, and who operated in the overloads created by his full-backs’ advanced positioning. Savinho arriving at Tottenham enters an environment specifically designed to maximise his contribution. Enough Savinho, let’s get back to what you came here for.
Nico Gonzalez to Tottenham: Right time for a move?
The Nico Gonzalez thread is the element worth examining alongside the Savinho pursuit rather than separately from it. The 24-year-old Spaniard who is worth €45m, signed from Porto for £50 million in January 2025, was one of the division’s more impressive performers in the first half of the campaign as he deputised for a Rodri operating through recurring fitness problems. Once Rodri returned to full availability, Gonzalez effectively ceased to exist in Guardiola’s selections. He was left out of the FA Cup final squad. He missed the Spain World Cup squad, despite a stellar first half of the season, with Luis de la Fuente prioritising players with more consistent recent minutes. Now, he’s actively exploring a summer exit, and City are willing to facilitate it.
One major caveat. Tottenham’s interest in Gonzalez is heavily conditional on Rodri leaving City after the World Cup. Real Madrid are tracking Rodri, and the Ballon d’Or winner has been somewhat circumspect in addressing those rumours, saying only that he will focus on Spain’s World Cup campaign before making any decisions.
If Rodri departs, City require a replacement number six and have identified Elliot Anderson as a primary target. Gonzalez’s path at the Etihad narrows further and his value to Tottenham increases proportionally. If Rodri stays, City retain Gonzalez as a credible deputy and his availability evaporates.
The specific profile Gonzalez offers fills the precise vacancy Palhinha’s departure has created. He is technically composure-first, physically imposing without being exclusively destructive, and capable of contributing to possession cycles in the manner De Zerbi’s base midfielder must. His World Cup snub, whilst unjust given his first-half performances, communicates something about his mental response to adversity. He is frustrated, motivated, and desperate to play regularly. Those are the conditions that produce excellent performances.