London Evening Standard

The Brazilian winger did not join his team-mates on Thursday as they continued preparations for Sunday’s Community Shield showdown with Arsenal in Cardiff.

It was reported that Savinho was dealing with an illness - something that has now been confirmed by City boss Maresca.

“Yesterday he was not part of the session,” the Italian said at Friday’s pre-Arsenal press conference. “He was a bit ill.

“We'll see today, the session is in the afternoon, we'll see how it is and we'll decide.”

Tottenham are known to have been working on a deal for Savinho, who has been a key attacking target for much of the summer window so far.

The 22-year-old was last month said to have handed in a transfer request at City as he seeks more regular first-team opportunities, having started only seven Premier League games during Pep Guardiola’s final season in charge and scored just once.

Fabrizio Romano reported that Savinho had this week reaffirmed his desire to leave the Etihad Stadium and join Spurs, with suggestions that City are demanding a fee of around £65million for a player they signed from City Football Group sister club Troyes for £30m in 2024.

Tottenham are also interested in Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo and have been linked with former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun as they seek to boost head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s attacking options before the transfer window closes for business on September 1.

So far their additions during an ambitious summer have been largely focused on midfield and defence, with approximately £229m spent on the additions of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, who joined along with free agents Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka.

City have already sanctioned the sales of James Trafford, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake this summer as they reshape their squad at the start of the Maresca era, while spending £116m on England midfielder Elliot Anderson and re-signing goalkeepers Geronimo Rulli and Pierce Charles, in addition to moving for youngsters Mathys Detourbet and Jeremy Monga.

They have until 5pm BST on Friday to submit an offer for Enzo Fernandez as Chelsea hold out for £120m, with Barcelona expected to submit a third bid for Rodri imminently as Tijjani Reijnders moves to Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah for £52m just one year after joining from AC Milan.

Will there be another heatwave in London this year?

Will there be another heatwave in London this year?

Roberto De Zerbi’s side host the Bundesliga outfit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, before the two teams then meet again in a behind-closed-doors contest at Hotspur Way less than 24 hours later.

Spurs are likely to field two completely different starting lineups in each game, with those who are partially or not involved at all on Saturday likely to play on Sunday as De Zerbi looks to get his squad up to full fitness ahead of the Premier League getting under way next weekend.

Tottenham remain unbeaten in pre-season, but were held to a 1-1 draw by Getafe in another behind-closed-doors friendly last Saturday that was played over 70 minutes.

Some of those players who were not involved against Getafe, including new signings Mateus Fernandes and Marcos Senesi, then played an in-house friendly later in the day.

Despite playing two separate friendlies, there were still a number of notable absentees from both teams that will concern De Zerbi as the new season approaches.

James Maddison, who is in contention to take the captaincy once Cristian Romero departs for Atletico Madrid, has still yet to feature in pre-season.

Spurs are taking a cautious approach as he continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for most of last term.

Micky van de Ven, another candidate for the captaincy who recently signed a bumper new contract, has also been left out by De Zerbi since returning from extended leave after the World Cup.

It is unclear whether Van de Ven is struggling for fitness, but De Zerbi will hope to have him involved in some way this weekend.

De Zerbi is likely to be able to call upon World Cup winner Pedro Porro after he received a guard of honour upon his return to the club’s training ground this week.

The 26-year-old is set to play a starring role in De Zerbi’s side after signing a new long-term deal in June and will undoubtedly be Spurs’ first-choice right-back, with Djed Spence set to leave for Inter Milan.

Spence and captain Romero, who is in Madrid for a medical before joining Atletico, are both expected to be absent against Hoffenheim as they complete moves away from the club.

There is hope that Mohammed Kudus could play for the first time since January after returning to full-team training following a serious quad injury.

His return is being managed, with De Zerbi admitting the club initially rushed Kudus back before he suffered a setback in his recovery in April.

Standard Sport understands a deal has been agreed for Romero that could reach up to £34million with add-ons and also includes a 15 per cent sell-on clause.

He had attracted shock interest from Arsenal, but Spurs were never willing to sell to their north London rivals.

Romero is poised to exit Tottenham after five seasons and 156 total appearances across all competitions and will become Atletico’s fourth signing of the summer.

The 28-year-old was named Spurs skipper by former boss Thomas Frank following Heung-min Son’s exit for Major League Soccer (MLS) and penned a new four-year contract only last summer, but will now leave just 12 months into that deal.

He appeared 23 times in the Premier League last season as Spurs narrowly avoided a disastrous relegation to the Championship on the final day, but missed Spurs’ final six games due to a knee injury.

Romero sat out just one match as Argentina reached a second successive World Cup final in North America earlier this summer, losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time.

The former Atalanta defender, who joined Spurs from Serie A for £42.5m in 2022, was scheduled to return for pre-season training this week after taking extended leave following the World Cup.

Romero was often a contentious figure during his time at Spurs, criticised for his poor disciplinary record on the pitch and having angered supporters when he flew to Argentina in the week leading up to their final game of the season, with the club’s Premier League status on the line.

He later returned to London and was in attendance as Tottenham secured Premier League safety at rivals West Ham’s expense with a crucial 1-0 home win against Everton.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi praised the support Romero provided him despite spending the majority of his time in charge recovering from injury, but added that he would not stand in his way if he decided to leave the club.

Fellow defender Djed Spence is also set to leave Spurs as he closes in on a move to Inter Milan, while Guglielmo Vicario continues to be linked with a switch to Juventus.

Djed Spence is edging closer to leaving Tottenham this summer, with Inter Milan reported to be interested in the England full-back.

Standard Sport understands that the Serie A side are readying a bid of around £25.6million, with Spence open to exploring opportunities elsewhere.

After an impressive World Cup campaign, Spence’s standing has never been higher, and he is keen to capitalise on his recent run of form by seeking assurances over his playing time.

Roberto De Zerbi cannot guarantee Spence the minutes he wants at Spurs and says he will not stand in the way of the 26-year-old should he want to move on.

Spence currently finds himself behind World Cup winner Pedro Porro in the pecking order at right-back, with the Spaniard signing a new long-term contract at Spurs in June.

While Spence can also play at left-back, his preferred position is right-back, and he believes his World Cup form has earned him the opportunity to stake a claim for regular minutes there.

De Zerbi likes Spence, but he also appreciates that the former Middlesbrough man wants to be first-choice heading into the prime years of his career.

In an ideal world, Spurs would not want to sell a player who only four weeks ago earned plaudits for his performance in England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.

But with Spence keen to play regularly and Spurs actively looking to maximise player sales, a deal with Inter Milan appears to suit both parties.

Spurs, who fielded tentative interest from Liverpool, avoid selling to a direct Premier League rival, while Spence comes in as the direct replacement for Denzel Dumfries following his move to Real Madrid.

The mooted fee for Spence appears relatively low given how high his stock is at the moment.

But without a groundswell of interest from elsewhere, Spurs are realistic about how much they can command for a player who has struggled to consistently perform at the highest level during his time at the club.

It is unclear whether Spurs will sign a replacement for Spence, but De Zerbi has stated that the club are not yet finished in the transfer market.

Regardless, selling Spence would continue to underline a change in approach from Spurs, who have accepted that in previous years they have struggled to get fair market value when letting players leave.

Tottenham are reportedly eyeing up a move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun as they look to add attacking reinforcements before the end of the transfer window.

Spurs want to bolster their frontline ahead of the new season and are said to have identified Balogun as a potential cut-price alternative to the injured Eli Junior Kroupi.

Kroupi had been Spurs’ priority target up front before he underwent surgery on a foot injury sustained during Bournemouth’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

With Kroupi expected to be out for up to four months, Spurs have turned their attention elsewhere and have reportedly been offered the chance to sign former Arsenal hitman Balogun.

Links between Balogun and Spurs remain tentative at this stage, and it is not clear whether the north London club will make a move for the USA international.

But off the back of a strong World Cup, scoring three goals in four appearances, the 25-year-old is in form and available should Spurs decide to make a move.

Balogun is not typically what De Zerbi looks for in a striker. While his movement is fluid, he does not tend to drop deep and link play, instead looking to chase balls in behind.

De Zerbi often looks to his wingers to attack the space beyond the opposition defence, leaving the striker to connect play by getting the ball deep and picking out the runners in behind.

That is not Balogun’s game. However, his penalty-box instincts and the timing of his runs mean he consistently arrives on the end of attacking moves.

Balogun’s intelligent movement will appeal to De Zerbi not only because he gets in the right positions to shoot but also because he is adept at leading the press.

A younger, more agile alternative to Spurs’ current options up front, Balogun will be well suited to the pace of the Premier League.

The question, though, would be whether Spurs can give Balogun the service he needs to thrive.

Capable of asking defenders uncomfortable questions with his pace and movement, The USA star has not yet developed the ability to get hold of the ball and make things happen when teams sit back and restrict space.

That is an aspect of his game that would need to be worked on with De Zerbi.

In some senses, Balogun is not an archetypal fit for the way De Zerbi looks to play.

Spurs skipper is expected to depart this summer - and his successor is not clear

Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham could be set to name a new captain next season, with Cristian Romero's future at the club in doubt.

Romero has been heavily linked with a move away from Spurs this summer and is reported to be closing in on a move to Atletico Madrid.

Vice-captain Guglielmo Vicario is also expected to leave Spurs before the start of next season, potentially leaving Roberto De Zerbi with a decision to make about who will take the armband next term.

Spurs were devoid of leadership last season, with Romero routinely neglecting his responsibilities as captain through rash dismissals and misguided social media outbursts.

This is something De Zerbi has been keen to address in the summer transfer window, and he hopes the arrivals of Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali will add experience and leadership to his squad.

Spurs are not blessed with options to take on the captaincy, but Standard Sport assessed the three best candidates to take on the role this season…

Micky van de Ven

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Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven struggled when taking on the captaincy in Romero's absence last season, but at 25 years old, he is still considered one of the key voices in the dressing room and was added to Thomas Frank's leadership group in October last year.

His sending off at a crucial point in a crunch relegation clash at home to Crystal Palace in March showcased his naivety and a propensity to look inward when Spurs are struggling.

The Dutch centre-half has, however, looked back to his best since De Zerbi took charge and is set to stay in north London after signing a new long-term contract.

A strong communicator and an influential presence both on and off the pitch, Van de Ven could benefit from taking on the added responsibility of the captaincy.

It is up to De Zerbi, though, to decide whether he feels Van de Ven is ready for the captaincy, given his age and relative lack of experience in a leadership role.

Pedro Porro

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Pedro Porro

Spanish full-back Pedro Porro dropped to the ground as the full-time whistle sounded to confirm Spurs had survived relegation on the final day of the season.

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Porro had given everything to get Spurs over the line, producing an all-action display against Everton to ensure Spurs' safety on an emotional afternoon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Porro was one of De Zerbi's key players in the final seven games of last season, and he was rewarded for his contributions with a new five-year contract in June.

Despite interest from elsewhere, Porro is set to stay at Spurs, and whether or not he takes on the captaincy, he will nonetheless form a vital part of De Zerbi's leadership group.

Porro captained Spurs for the first time last season, and De Zerbi will likely entrust him to take on more responsibility should Romero and Vicario leave.

James Maddison

PA

James Maddison

James Maddison's return from injury in the final few games of last season was revitalising for Spurs.

Even though his impact on the pitch was limited, his presence alone provided a real boost as Spurs took 11 points from their final six games.

Despite a disrupted pre-season, Maddison is expected to play an important role this term, and De Zerbi will rely on the Englishman to provide inspiration on and off the pitch.

A well-liked and well-respected character around the club, Maddison has all the attributes to be captain.

De Zerbi has typically given the captaincy to his centre-backs, with Leonardo Balerdi and Lewis Dunk taking the armband during his respective spells at Marseille and Brighton.

While manager of Sassuolo, De Zerbi was not afraid to give the armband to more attacking players, with Domenico Berardi and Francesco Caputo both taking on the captaincy at times during his tenure.

De Zerbi, though, will surely not feel confident giving Maddison the captaincy if he can’t rely on him to play week in week out.

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Tottenham and head coach Roberto De Zerbi have highlighted Micky van de Ven’s leadership qualities after the defender signed a new contract.

It was announced on Monday night that the 25-year-old had committed his future to Spurs by putting pen-to-paper on fresh terms, though there could be further good news for the Dutchman imminently.

Inter Milan, Barcelona and Arsenal have also been credited with an interest in the central defender, though any deal with the Gunners appears a non-starter given the rivalry between the two clubs.

Should the Argentine depart before the transfer window closes, Spurs will have to appoint a new captain and the club’s statement when confirming Van de Ven’s new deal suggests he will be a leading contender.

“Micky also showed leadership qualities when he captained the team in the final, crucial six matches of last season under Roberto De Zerbi,” the statement read.

De Zerbi, meanwhile, added: "Micky is one of the best centre-backs in Europe and an important player for us.

"He has the qualities, mentality and ambition that we want at Tottenham Hotspur, and I am very happy that he has decided to continue his journey with the club.

"We are building something strong here, and players like Micky are an important part of that future. His decision to sign a new contract shows his belief in what we are creating together."

Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange said: "I am delighted that Micky has committed his future to the club.

"His growth and development over the past three years - as both a player and a person - has been huge, and he is now without doubt one of the outstanding defenders in European football.

"Micky represents the type of player we want to build our future around and I look forward to seeing him continue to play an important role for many years to come.”

Harry Kane is set to sign a new contract with Bayern Munich to all but end hopes of a future return to Tottenham.

England captain Kane will reportedly hold talks with the German giants this week over an extension, upon his return for pre-season.

Kane’s current deal, which is said to be worth £21.5million annually, has one year left to run, and there is an eagerness among all parties to extend the terms.

The Times report that Kane will be offered a new three-year deal, which will run until a month before he is due to turn 36 years old.

It had been suggested in some quarters that Kane would explore a return to the Premier League, with former club Spurs in contention, once he had won major trophies with Bayern.

Kane remains just 47 goals off Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League scoring record of 260, and it was assumed he would return to topple the England great.

Tottenham have always been considered Kane’s most-likely destination should he return to England.

But, having won two Bundesliga titles, Kane is instead prioritising winning the Champions League and believes Bayern are capable of doing so.

Kane scored 61 goals in 51 games across all competitions for Bayern last season, taking his tally to 146 goals in three years in Bavaria.

Sport | Football

Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal want Romero, Barcola hijack; Liverpool done deal; Man Utd; Chelsea latest

Follow all the latest news, rumours and gossip throughout summer window

Transfer targets: Cristian Romero, Bradley Barcola and Julian Alvarez

London Standard

Alex Young, Senior Sport Editor @ alexwsyoung

Transfer news LIVE!

The summer window continues has a little over three weeks to run as likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham work hard to complete deals which improve their squads. The Gunners have snapped by Bruno Guimaraes, and will now focus on improving their attack and defence. Interest in Bradley Barcola has reportedly been reignited, while Julian Alvarez and Iliman Ndiaye remain targets. At the back, an audacious move for Tottenham captain Cristian Romero as been mooted amid interest in Ezri Konsa and Joaquin Seys.

Manchester United remain on the market for a new left-back, but top target Lewis Hall is not available, so Antoinee Robinson, Jorge Salinas and Seyes have been linked. Chelsea are set to finally announce the arrival of Pep Chavarria, while Morgan Rogers is set to begin life as a Blues as his pre-season starts this week.

Tottenham have agreed to sell Manor Solomon to West Ham for £7million, and remain interested in both Cody Gakpo and Savinho. Villarreal striker has also been linked Georges Mikautadze amid reports of an injury to Dominic Solanke. Liverpool are wrapping up a loan deal for Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo as work continues on agreeing a fee with Paris Saint-Germain for Barcola. Follow the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!

Latest transfer news and rumours

Arsenal in contact with Cristian Romero and Ezri Konsa

Arsenal are in contact with the representatives of Tottenham defender Cristian Romero and Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa.

According to FootballTransfers, sporting director Andrea Berta is speaking to both players’ camps as the Gunners look to sign another central defender before the transfer window closes.

Romero is open to a controversial move across north London, although Tottenham are strongly opposed to strengthening their rivals. Arsenal have also been monitoring Konsa for several months and are ready to return with an improved offer after an initial bid was rejected.

No deal has been agreed for either defender yet, but Arsenal are stepping up their pursuit as they look to add further depth to Mikel Arteta’s defence.

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Marco Silva wants Fulham reunion at Benfica

Benfica manager Marco Silva is interested in bringing former Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo to Portugal.

According to CM Jornal, Silva has identified the Chelsea centre-back as a potential addition as Benfica look to strengthen their defence.

The pair previously worked together at Fulham, where Adarabioyo became an important part of Silva’s side before leaving the club for Chelsea.

Benfica are now exploring the possibility of reuniting the defender with his former manager, although a deal could prove difficult with Adarabioyo still under contract at Stamford Bridge.

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Darwin Nunez agrees move to join Mohamed Salah

Darwin Nunez has joined Mohamed Salah at Turkish side Trabzonspor.

The former Liverpool striker will move from Al-Hilal on loan after the Saudi club agreed to let him leave.

Trabzonspor will reportedly cover pay around €8m of Nunez’s €22m salary, which is more than what Salah earns.

Nunez and Salah played together at Liverpool between 2022 and 2025, and the pair are now set to reunite in Turkey ahead of the new season.

Getty

Adam Wharton race sparks into life

Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid are all exploring a deal for Adam Wharton.

According to CaughtOffside, United are keen to strengthen their midfield and view the Crystal Palace star as a major target.

Palace are understood to value the 22-year-old at around €100m (£86m).

Real Madrid and Chelsea are also monitoring Wharton’s situation.

Getty

Harry Kane to sign new Bayern contract and end hopes of Premier League return

Harry Kane is expected to extend his contract with Bayern Munich until 2029, with talks set to take place this week when the striker returns from holiday.

According to The Times, Kane’s current salary of around €25m gross per year is not expected to change significantly as part of the new agreement.

The England captain and is his family are said to be very settled in Munich. Despite previously being expected to return to the Premier League to chase Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record, Kane is now focused on winning more trophies with Bayern.

After helping Bayern win two Bundesliga titles, Kane’s main remaining ambition is the Champions League, with the striker keen to continue his pursuit of European success in Munich.

Getty

Aston Villa in pole position to sign Endrick

Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Real Madrid forward Endrick on loan.

Spanish outlet AS report that the Brazilian’s representatives have sounded out several Premier League clubs as the 20-year-old considers his future at the Bernabeu.

Endrick wants a team who plays in Europe, and to have a starting roll.

TEAMtalk add that Chelsea’s long-standing interest remains strong, while Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Fulham have also held discussions over the striker’s situation.

AFP/Getty

Rashford handed new Man Utd shirt number as decision made

Marcus Rashford will need to be handed a brand new squad number at Manchester United, after being stripped of his old one last summer.

Rashford, who has not played a competitive fixture for Man United since a Europa League meeting with Viktoria Plzen in December 2024, is back with the squad after travelling to the Republic of Ireland for a pre-season training camp.

The 28-year-old’s United career had previously appeared to be all but over after he was frozen out by former boss Ruben Amorim, having spent time out on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona.

However, it would appear that he could figure into Michael Carrick's plans for the upcoming season.

Read more here!

PA

Arsenal aware Cristian Romero wants to join

Cristian Romero wants to join Arsenal this summer, according to reports, and Arsenal are aware.

Claims first emerged last week that the Gunners had made a shock approach to rivals Tottenham over their wantaway captain.

However, Spurs are said to have denied that any contact was made as Atletico Madrid step up their move for a player who has also been the subject of talks with Inter Milan this summer.

The Sun say today that Romero wants to cross the north London divide, but Tottenham unsurprisingly have absolutely no intention of letting that happen.

Getty

Chelsea wrap up ninth summer signing

Chelsea are closing in on a deal to sign Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarria.

Standard Sport understands that Chelsea will pay around £16.3m for the 28-year-old, with the fee potentially increasing through add-ons.

Chavarría is expected to provide competition at left-back as Chelsea continue to reshape their squad under Xabi Alonso.

GettyImages

Tottenham have fresh Cody Gakpo hope

Liverpool could be willing to let Cody Gakpo join Tottenham if they complete deals for two new forwards.

Spurs are interested in the Netherlands international, with Roberto De Zerbi keen to add another attacking option to his squad.

Liverpool are currently reluctant to sell Gakpo, but Football Insider report that the club could reconsider if they sign both a new winger and another forward before the transfer window closes.

Gakpo has been an important player for Liverpool since joining from PSV, but increased competition for places could open the door to a move to Tottenham.

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