London Evening Standard

Nottingham Forest are determined to fend off any late interest in Tottenham target Neco Williams before the summer transfer window closes.

Standard Sport understands that Spurs admire Williams, and a late move for the Forest full-back has not been ruled out, though it is deemed unlikely at this stage of the window.

Spurs are believed to be open to understanding the terms of a deal, but Forest insist Williams is not for sale and are trying to tie the Wales international down to a new contract.

After losing Eliot Anderson to Manchester City, Oliver Glasner is determined to keep hold of Williams and would consider his departure a massive blow, with little time to sign a replacement.

Contract talks with Williams, whose deal expires in summer 2029, have been underway for a while, but as yet there has been no breakthrough in negotiations.

Forest are keen to reflect Williams’ importance to the side, with the former Liverpool defender having become a mainstay since arriving at the club in July 2022.

Spurs are in the market for a versatile full-back following the departure of Djed Spence to Inter Milan.

They view Williams as a strong option at both right-back and left-back and value the 25-year-old’s Premier League experience. Williams has made 143 top-flight appearances for Liverpool and Forest combined.

Roberto De Zerbi has admitted he does not know if new £85million signing Savio will, tonight, be ready to start against Charlton.

Tottenham confirmed the arrival of Savio from Manchester City on Tuesday, with the Brazilian registered in time for the club’s Carabao Cup second-round tie at home to Charlton.

Having been left out of the last two City squads, though, De Zerbi is unsure whether he will throw Savio straight into the starting lineup despite Spurs’ need for attacking reinforcements.

“Savio, I don't know if he's ready to play if everything is ok to play or on the bench,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Savio is eligible to play, though, with his registration fully processed and approved by the FA on Tuesday.

De Zerbi also confirmed that James Maddison had suffered a shoulder injury following Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford over the weekend.

The England midfielder came off the bench at the Gtech Community Stadium but has now suffered a setback in his bid to return to full fitness after missing the majority of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Spurs boss added that Mohammed Kudus was still not available despite returning to team training following a serious quad injury.

In more positive news, De Zerbi said defenders Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro would both be on the bench against Charlton. The pair were left out of the squad against Brentford amid concerns over their fitness.

Academy winger Luca Williams-Barnett impressed during pre-season and will also be among the substitutes after De Zerbi admitted he considered handing him his Premier League debut against Brentford. Striker Dominic Solanke is available to start after coming off the bench against Brentford.

After a shocking performance at the Gtech Stadium, De Zerbi has a lot of decisions to make as he looks for a morale-boosting victory to get Spurs’ season up and running.

Italian will measure his success against that of the BlueCo project

Dom Smith

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Roberto De Zerbi believes Tottenham’s big spending can help them win trophies sooner than it took Chelsea to win the Club World Cup after BlueCo’s investment.

Spurs have spent uncharacteristically high this summer, breaking their transfer record on £100million Sandro Tonali, and spending £85m on Mateus Fernandes as well as £52m on Jan Paul van Hecke.

Their latest signing is the Manchester City winger Savio, who has joined for £75m possibly rising to £85m including add-ons.

De Zerbi was hired to keep Spurs up with seven games of last season, but expectations are far higher after a summer of spending and with a reduced schedule owing to not being involved in European football this season.

And the Italian has now urged Spurs to begin challenging for top titles, citing Chelsea’s investment before winning the 2025 Club World Cup — but setting Tottenham the target of challenging for silverware sooner than that.

“I felt pressure from the first day of working in football, because I put pressure on myself. I don’t feel pressure about the transfer market,” De Zerbi said.

Mateus Fernandes is among the new faces in Roberto De Zerbi’s squad

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“If I can, I want to spend more money again. Without problems. Because the other teams don’t spend anything different than money. I feel pressure because I am working in one of the best clubs in the world, and I would like to help this club to compete to win the titles. I don’t know [whether] this season or next season.

“But, in the end, it’s my big target, personal target, because the club didn’t ask me anything — just to compete, to work well. We have nothing less than the other big clubs in the Premier League, especially now, in my time.”

De Zerbi added: “We are moving very well in the transfer market, and why not? I can’t understand why Tottenham can’t compete with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal. I don’t understand why Tottenham can’t spend the same money as Chelsea, Liverpool.”

The Italian of Tottenham’s desire to challenge for silverware: “It is a process, like the big teams have done in the past.

“If you look at the Premier League in the last ten years, Chelsea, for example, they won the Club World Cup. At the beginning, they spent [big money] for two or three seasons to become a team. I think we can do, for sure, faster.

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“But we need to work harder, everyone together, stay focused, and with a clear head: not destructing everything if we lose one game, or if we win, [claiming] we are good enough to win the Premier League. No. It is not like this.

“I would like to win five games in a row, changing the habits. At the beginning, we didn’t have enough to win one game.”

“We need to keep the balance and know the journey will be longer. But maybe with the qualities of the players, with our club and fans, we can reduce the time.”

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Roberto De Zerbi has admitted he does not know if new £85million signing Savio will be ready to start against Charlton Athletic tomorrow night.

Tottenham confirmed the arrival of Savio from Manchester City on Tuesday, with the Brazilian registered in time for the club’s Carabao Cup second-round tie at home to Charlton.

Having been left out of the last two City squads, though, De Zerbi is unsure whether he will throw Savio straight into the starting lineup despite Spurs’ need for attacking reinforcements.

“Savio, I don't know if he's ready to play if everything is ok to play or on the bench,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Savio is eligible to play, though, with his registration fully processed and approved by the FA on Tuesday.

De Zerbi also confirmed that James Maddison had suffered a shoulder injury following Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford over the weekend.

The England midfielder came off the bench at the Gtech Community Stadium but has now suffered a setback in his bid to return to full fitness after missing the majority of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Spurs boss added that Mohammed Kudus was still not available despite returning to team training following a serious quad injury.

In more positive news, De Zerbi said defenders Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro would both be on the bench against Charlton. The pair were left out of the squad against Brentford amid concerns over their fitness.

Academy winger Luca Williams-Barnett impressed during pre-season and will also be among the substitutes after De Zerbi admitted he considered handing him his Premier League debut against Brentford. Striker Dominic Solanke is available to start after coming off the bench against Brentford.

After a shocking performance at the Gtech Stadium, De Zerbi has a lot of decisions to make as he looks for a morale-boosting victory to get Spurs’ season up and running.

Roberto De Zerbi was unwilling to offer hints about Tottenham’s pursuit of Omar Marmoush, but declared new signing Savio “one of the best wingers”.

Tottenham on Tuesday morning announced the signing of Savio, formerly known as Savinho, from Manchester City.

The winger joined for a £75million fee plus £5m in guaranteed add-ons and another £5m in performance-related add-ons.

“It is not right to speak about other players from other teams,” De Zerbi said about Marmoush on Tuesday, describing the transfer window as a “crazy market”.

De Zerbi described why he and Spurs were so keen to sign Savio, who scored just twice in 53 Premier League appearances as a City player.

“If you analyse the last season, we need players capable to win one-v-ones and create chances to score. In terms of one-v-ones, he is one of the best players — and [also partly] because he is 2004.

“I know him for a long time. I spoke with him before he went to City. He is a big player for us.”

De Zerbi is not concerned about Savio’s lack of goals for City. He said: “I don’t know if I’m the right man [to help him score more], but he has to achieve.

“Players so good at creating chances, to be complete they need to score. If you analyse the other top wingers in the world, many score ten or 15 goals a season. He has the qualities.

Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro will both return to the Tottenham squad against Charlton, while new signing Savio could make his debut.

New Spurs captain Van de Ven did not play a single minute during pre-season after returning from World Cup duty with the Netherlands and was also absent from Saturday’s opening Premier League clash with Brentford due to what manager Roberto De Zerbi described as “not a big problem”.

The same was true of first-choice right-back - and new vice-captain - Porro, who has been building up his fitness following a break that followed Spain’s triumph in North America earlier this summer.

Tottenham badly missed the duo against Brentford, with their lack of leadership painfully apparent during an abysmal 3-0 loss that quickly dampened much of the enthusiasm generated by an ambitious summer transfer window.

However, both players are set to be involved on Wednesday night against London rivals Charlton in the Carabao Cup second round, while Dominic Solanke is in line to start up front after his own injury issues and limited pre-season minutes, having come off the bench at Brentford.

There could also be some involvement for Savio - AKA Savinho - who completed his £85million move from Manchester City on Tuesday, beating the midday deadline to be registered in time to face Championship opponents Charlton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“Van de Ven comes on to the bench,” De Zerbi said at his pre-match press conference. “Pedro Porro comes on to the bench. Solanke is available to start the game.

“Savio, I don’t know. I don’t know if he is ready to play, if everything is good. But great news [on the others].”

De Zerbi confirmed that James Maddison - who missed most of last season after undergoing surgery on a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament - is dealing with a “small injury in his shoulder” sustained during a second-half cameo against Brentford.

Mohammed Kudus is “not yet ready” to play as he continues to build his fitness after a long-term quad injury, while Dejan Kulusevski won’t return yet after a patella injury that has kept him sidelined since May 2025.

On Spurs youngster Luca Williams-Barnett, De Zerbi said: “He comes on to the bench. My idea was to play with him as part of the second half at Brentford. Unfortunately it was not the right moment.”

The Spurs playmaker had limited involvement during pre-season, with De Zerbi eager not to rush his comeback after he missed most of last season following surgery on a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained in the summer.

However, Maddison was fit enough to be included in the squad on the opening weekend of the new Premier League campaign, introduced in place of Mikey Moore on Saturday for the final 22 minutes of a woeful 3-0 defeat at Brentford.

The 29-year-old fell awkwardly on his shoulder during that cameo off the bench and underwent assessment, with De Zerbi describing the problem as minor in a press conference held in advance of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup second-round visit of Charlton to north London.

De Zerbi also confirmed that Ghanaian forward Mohammed Kudus was “not yet ready” to play for Tottenham as he continues to work his way back to fitness after a long-term quad injury that has kept him sidelined since early January.

However, new Spurs captain Micky van de Ven will be on the bench against Charlton in a major boost, having not played a single minute during pre-season following his World Cup involvement with the Netherlands and then missed the defeat by Brentford with a small unspecified issue.

Pedro Porro - Van de Ven’s vice-captain - will also be a substitute on Wednesday, having not been involved either in pre-season and also missed the Brentford game as he returned to full fitness following his part in Spain’s World Cup triumph in North America earlier this summer.

Savio could make his Tottenham debut after completing an £85million transfer from Manchester City on Tuesday, while De Zerbi also confirmed that Dominic Solanke was in line to start up front and that teenager Luca Williams-Barnett would be on the bench.

Spurs remain without long-term absentees Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons, while Dejan Kulusevski is also not ready to return yet having not played since May 2025 due to a serious knee injury.

Spurs boss will demand response against Charlton after Brentford debacle

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Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham will be looking to bounce back from their humbling 3-0 defeat by Brentford when they host Charlton in the Carabao Cup second round on Wednesday.

Systematically picked apart by Keith Andrews’ Bees on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, Roberto De Zerbi was left shell-shocked as his new-look Spurs side were ruthlessly punished at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Afterwards, De Zerbi said he hoped that the result would act as a wake-up call for his team, who showed similar fragility to last season despite boasting £237million worth of new signings.

Luckily for the Spurs boss, he has the chance to right some wrongs almost immediately with Championship outfit Charlton the visitors to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in midweek.

Tottenham will be the favourites to progress from another London derby, but they must be wary of the threat posed by Nathan Jones’ Addicks, who have won all three games to start the season.

After beating Cheltenham in the first round of the Carabao Cup, Charlton have made the perfect start to their Championship campaign and stunned West Ham 2-1 at the London Stadium last weekend.

Spurs, meanwhile, are in desperate need of a morale boost, with De Zerbi likely to ring the changes in an attempt to get a reaction from his squad.

Here, Standard Sport identifies three Tottenham players who could get a chance to impress against Charlton.

Luca Williams-Barnett

Next big thing: Luca Williams-Barnett is the most highly-rated young talent at Tottenham

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For all the issues with Spurs’ performance against Brentford, it was in attack where they looked concerningly short of inspiration.

Richarlison’s hold-up play flattered to deceive and led Tottenham to cheaply surrender possession for Brentford’s second goal.

On the wing, Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore were nullified by the marauding runs of Brentford full-backs Michael Kayode and Keane Lewis-Potter.

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Attacking reinforcements are incoming, with Savio now signed and Omar Marmoush’s arrival close, but De Zerbi has been struggling for options.

Spurs’ attack looks lifeless, void of creativity or confidence, but one player who will be chomping at the bit to make an impression is 17-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett.

Long since considered as one of the brightest talents out of the club’s academy, Williams-Barnett showed glimpses of his raw and explosive talent during pre-season.

More senior minutes appear to be just around the corner for the young attacker, and Wednesday offers a good test for him to prove his credentials.

Able to play across the frontline, De Zerbi could opt to start Williams-Barnett on the wing or as the No10 in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation against Charlton.

Malachi Hardy

Potential: Malachi Hardy showcased his quality for Tottenham during pre-season

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Another player who impressed for Tottenham during pre-season was academy centre-back Malachi Hardy.

Enjoying starring roles in all three of Spurs’ games Down Under, De Zerbi showed his faith in the 18-year-old and name-checked him as a talent for the future.

“Malachi is another good player for the future of the club,” De Zerbi said after Spurs’ 2-0 win over Auckland FC at Eden Park last month.

Given the defensive additions Tottenham have made this summer, first-team opportunities will be tricky to come by for Hardy, but he will be in contention to get some vital minutes against Charlton.

De Zerbi must decide whether to persist with the centre-back partnership of Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, or take them out of the firing line for a game after struggling to impose themselves on debut against Brentford.

Should he opt for the latter, Hardy will be well-placed to step in and make his senior debut for the club.

Mateus Fernandes

Big-money signing: Tottenham spent £85m to land Mateus Fernandes from West Ham

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Mateus Fernandes’ cameo off the bench was arguably the only bright spot in a woeful Spurs performance last weekend.

Named among the substitutes as he continues to manage his fitness after struggling with calf fatigue during pre-season, Fernandes looks ready to take the next step in his recovery by making a full Tottenham debut.

Signed from rivals West Ham for a then club-record £85m fee, Fernandes has arrived in north London with lofty expectations.

The 22-year-old appears to be the archetypal fit for De Zerbi’s double pivot, and he provided composure but also cutting edge after being introduced to steady the ship against Brentford.

The sooner Spurs can get Fernandes playing consistently alongside Sandro Tonali, the better they will look.

Fernandes offers the safety in possession and calm under pressure that should allow Tonali to flourish, but as is the case across the pitch, De Zerbi needs time to build these relationships.

Charlton should offer a good opportunity for Fernandes to get some more minutes in his legs, and after a disrupted pre-season, supporters could get a glimpse of the club’s new £185m midfield pairing.

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Roberto De Zerbi praised Savio’s “energy, imagination and quality in wide positions” after the Brazilian winger completed an £85million move to Tottenham.

Standard Sport understands that Spurs will pay an up-front fee of £75m with a guaranteed £5m in add-ons and a further £5m due in additional add-ons for the 22-year-old, who has been a longstanding target for the club.

Starting with Mathys Tel and 19-year-old Mikey Moore on the wing, Spurs lacked directness, pace or inventiveness in the wide channels, and Brentford’s full-backs took advantage, pinning Spurs back and getting on the front foot.

De Zerbi hopes Savio will remedy these issues, making Spurs more unpredictable and providing a threat in behind, and says he believes the 13-cap Brazil international has the ability to change games.

"Savio is a player who brings energy, imagination and quality in wide positions. He has the courage to attack defenders and the ability to change a game with his creativity,” De Zerbi said.

"We’re very pleased to have him with us, and I’m looking forward to working with him, helping him continue to grow and seeing him bring his personality to the team.”

Sporting director Johan Lange added that Savio, who struggled for consistent minutes at City last season, will be a good stylistic fit for Spurs’ system.

"Savio is someone who has been on our radar for a while and I'm delighted that he is now a Tottenham Hotspur player,” Lange continued.

"He has already shown his quality at the highest level, and we believe his ability, style and mentality will be a great fit for the squad we are building here.

"I know he will excite our supporters every time he gets on the ball and I'm looking forward to watching his development under Roberto's coaching."

Omar Marmoush expected to follow Man City team-mate to north London

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Tottenham have confirmed Savio’s shirt number after completing his long-awaited signing from Manchester City.

The Brazilian winger- known during his time at City as Savinho - finalised a move to Spurs on Tuesday worth an initial £75million up front, with a further £5m in guaranteed add-ons and an additional £5m in possible add-ons taking the potential total value of the deal to £85m.

That represents a club-record sale for City and takes Tottenham’s huge spending spree during an ambitious summer window to over the £300m mark.

Spurs have handed Savio the No17 shirt recently vacated by former club captain Cristian Romero, who joined Atletico Madrid in a £34.2m transfer earlier this month.

Other Spurs players to wear that number in recent times include the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Andros Townsend.

The 22-year-old is excited to work under Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi having finally sealed a switch that had been rumoured throughout the summer window.

"It's taken a while but I'm very happy to be here,” Savio told Tottenham’s official website.

"It's a wonderful opportunity at a brilliant club with one of the best managers in the world.

"As soon as I spoke to the head coach I knew I had to come. He told me he wants to help me reach the highest level, and I believe we can do that together, as a team."

Savio - full name Savio Moreira de Oliveira - went by Savinho during his two years at City, but has now requested moving forward to be referred to as Savio, which will also be the name on the back of his Spurs shirt.

He wore Savio on his jersey during a loan spell at City Football Group sister club Girona during the 2023/24 season, having previously played for another CFG outfit in Troyes and spent time at PSV Eindhoven after beginning his career in his native Brazil with Atletico Mineiro.

Savio’s arrival in north London is expected to be swiftly followed by that of City team-mate Omar Marmoush, with Tottenham closing in on an initial season-long loan deal for the Egyptian forward that includes the option for a £50m permanent transfer next summer.

Spurs also remain interested in Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo, now linked with City, who are seeking to replace Savio and Marmoush after agreeing a £34m deal with Palmeiras for Brazilian attacker Allan Elias.

De Zerbi previously stated that he wanted two or three more signings before the transfer window closes on September 1, hinting at a transfer “bomba”.

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As he was signed and registered before the midday deadline on Tuesday, Savio is available to make a swift Spurs debut on Wednesday night as De Zerbi’s side - embarrassed 3-0 by Brentford on the first weekend of the new Premier League season - host Championship team Charlton in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Spurs are then at home to Newcastle in the top-flight on Saturday evening.

Savio is the seventh new signing at Tottenham so far this summer, with the club having broken their transfer record twice in a matter of days last month to bring in midfielders Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

Jan Paul van Hecke arrived from Brighton for £60m, while Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka were all signed on free transfers.

Savio was said to have been dealing with illness ahead of the new season as he was omitted from Enzo Maresca’s City squad for the Community Shield loss to Arsenal, also not included for Sunday’s dramatic fightback against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

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