London Evening Standard

Tottenham have an agreement to sign winger Savinho from Manchester City for £75million, plus £10m in potential add-ons, and are also targeting his City team-mate Omar Marmoush.

Savinho’s signing would take Tottenham’s summer spending beyond £300m, having twice smashed their transfer record this window with the £85m arrival of Mateus Fernandes followed by Sandro Tonali ‘s £100m move from Newcastle.

“It is not right to speak about players until they are official,” De Zerbi said in response to a question about Brazil international Savinho.

“Just to say, I am very happy. We have not finished yet in the transfer market. It is an important part.

“So far, we have had a great [summer for] signings. Great players and personalities. But you don’t win the game with big-name players. We have to deserve to win games.”

The Spurs boss added: “We are working very well with Johan Lange, with Vinai [Venkatesham], and with Nick [Beucher] — with the whole board.”

De Zerbi gave his verdict on start at Spurs, having been appointed in March and successfully guiding the club away from relegation on the final day of the previous season.

“It feels like I’ve been here ten years, but just three months,” De Zerbi said.

“Three very intense months. We can’t forget what happened last season. It’s a big lesson for us. We are building a big project.”

The Italian set out his two “big challenges” for Tottenham this summer, which he said he hopes his team will achieve as soon as possible.

He continued: “Now the big challenge — the first two targets — we are very clear in ourselves, is to find the soul of the team. The second target is to improve in our organisation of football, with the ball and without the ball.

“Our style has to be the key of our season. These two characteristics I want to find as soon as possible.”

Tottenham will be without Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro for their first game of the new Premier League season.

The pair has been joined on the sidelined by Pape Matar Sarr, who has picked up a hamstring injury in the days leading up to Saturday’s trip to Brentford.

Roberto De Zerbi told reporters on Friday: “Micky is not on the list for tomorrow, like Pedro Porro.

“Pape Matar Sarr no, because he felt some pain in his hamstring today. Nothing serious, but we don’t take risks.

On Van de Ven, De Zerbi added: “Today, he worked the group, and he is going very well.

“He suffered a problem during the pre-season of Australia, I don’t know if it was the flight, but not a big problem.

“We have [Marcos] Senesi, we have Ben Davies and in the right condition to play the game tomorrow.”

The absence of Van de Ven and Porro for the trip to west London means Spurs will be without their new captain and first vice-skipper for the first game of the new season.

As detailed by De Zerbi, Ben Davies is third, but is not expected to start on Saturday, while Maddison in fourth is lacking match fitness.

Archie Gray, fifth on the leadership list, could be wearing the armband while deputising at right-back for Porro.

The Brazilian has been a long-term target of Tottenham, who tried and failed to sign Savinho last summer.

Standard Sport understands Spurs have agreed to pay £75m for Savinho, with an additional £10m in performance-related add-ons, £5m of which are considered highly achievable.

It will be a club-record sale for City, and the third time this summer that Spurs have spent £85m or more on a player. Their club-record signing before the window was the £65m spent on Dominic Solanke two years ago.

The 22-year-old must be registered before 12pm on Friday to be in contention to make his debut in Spurs’ opening game of the new Premier League season, against Brentford, on Saturday night.

City rejected a Spurs bid for Savinho last summer, deciding they wished for the Brazilian to stay with them throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

But Savinho struggled for game time and now, a year on, is being allowed to leave. Palmeiras winger Allan Elias has reportedly been idenitifed as a replacement for Savinho.

After the season ended, he and his representatives were clear that more game time in the season ahead was a priority for Brazil international.

Spurs are now prepared to move on to securing their second City target of the summer. They are in talks to sign Savinho’s City team-mate Omar Marmoush.

Tottenham are also interested in Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, but it remains to be seen whether they would look to advance that deal if they managed to secure Marmoush as well as Savinho.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the appointment on Friday, on the eve of Spurs’ first game of the new Premier League season.

Van de Ven has recently been rewarded with a new contract, and replaced Cristian Romero who joined Atletico Madrid earlier in August.

De Zerbi told reporters: “The new captain is Micky van de Ven. The second Pedro Porro, the third Ben Davies, the fourth James Maddison and the fifth Archie Gray.

“Why five captains? Just because I want many captains inside of the pitch and to be clear in the position.

“Every one of them deserves to be captain or in the group of the captains, but personality and passion is not if you are captain or not captain.”

World Cup winner Porro and versatile midfielder Gray are new additions, replacing Romero and Guglielmo Vicario, who has joined Juventus on loan and is unlikely to return.

The new season mark a fresh start for Spurs and De Zerbi after narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the previous campaign, but the manager wants to keep the pain of those days in mind heading into the new term.

He said: "[It’s been a ] very intense three months, but I think we can't forget what happened. Last season is a big lesson for us. We have to go on another page and start an important season.

"We're building a new project. The first two targets is very clear in ourselves is to find the soul of the team. Second target to improve in our organisation with and without the ball. Our style has to be the key of our season."

Fans may not have to wait long to see £85m man in action

Eye-watering sums have been spent on a midfield rebuild in Roberto De Zerbi’s image, with the Spurs boss playing a pivotal role in the deals to bring Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to north London.

The early signs have been promising, with Spurs’ new double pivot showing glimpses of quality during pre-season. But the real test comes this weekend, with Brentford boasting a centrepiece signing of their own in the middle of the park.

Mamadou Sangare, a club-record £41m arrival from Lens, will be the man tasked with putting the pinch on two of the Premier League’s most press-resistant midfielders in what looks set to be a tantalising matchup.

Brentford went all out to get Sangare from under the nose of his former boss, Pierre Sage, who wanted to take the Mali international with him to Crystal Palace.

It was their relentless pursuit that seemed to speak to Sangare’s personality. “Addicted to getting better”, according to Rapid Vienna’s sporting director Markus Katzer, the 24-year-old bites at the heels of his opponents.

If he does not get the ball the first time round, he will snap straight back into another challenge until he comes out on top - no outfield player in Ligue 1 made more ball recoveries than Sangare last season.

Sangare is not a one-dimensional player, either. He finds solutions in tight spaces, can carry the ball up field and make telling contributions in the final third.

As with any player, though, there are of course limitations. An erratic disciplinary record highlights an occasional overzealousness in pursuit of the ball, and he has openly admitted his concentration can elude him. These are the shortcomings Spurs will need to capitalise on if they are to gain control on Saturday.

Physically, Brentford’s squad are in a good spot. They spent a week at a training camp in Portugal focusing solely on their physical preparation and intentionally did not schedule any friendlies until their return to London.

Double sessions at the Portuguese Football Federation's National Training Centre combined time on the pitch and gym work, with summer signing Jannik Schuster describing the training camp as far more intense than anything he had experienced at his former club, Red Bull Salzburg.

Now, Sangare did not arrive at Brentford until after they had returned from Portugal. Yet his dominant performance in the Bees’ 7-0 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt suggests he has had no problem adapting to the team’s intensity over the last couple of weeks.

While not the cleanest in possession, Sangare’s energy suffocated an admittedly under-strength Frankfurt side, and he capped an impressive unofficial debut with a goal from the edge of the box.

The Italian, whose swivel and drive set in motion Richarlison’s opening goal, played with grace but also tenacity as Spurs swept aside Hoffenheim 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will hope that Fernandes can overcome the calf issue he has struggled with in pre-season to take some of the pressure off Tonali, but regardless, a fascinating battle awaits this weekend.

With both teams vying for European qualification this season, their prospects look set to be defined by the success of their statement midfield signings.

There is also a message in there about the identity of both clubs right now. Where Spurs opted for control and composure as they look to restore calm after crisis, Brentford signed a disruptor to help break the glass ceiling and secure their place in Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

Tottenham have confirmed their shirt numbers for the new season, but hope to confirm a few more ahead of the summer transfer deadline.

It has been a summer of upheaval and overhaul at Spurs, with more than £300million spent on new signings, headlined by Sandro Tonali’s £100m arrival from Newcastle.

Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, who cost £85m, will form the base of Spurs’ new midfield, while the likes of Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson come into defence.

All five have had their shirt numbers confirmed, and Savinho, who will cost at least £75m, will soon follow.

Spurs hope to add at least Omar Marmoush to their ranks, and there are around six realistic options for the Manchester City pair if, or when, they both make the move to north London.

There is otherwise little surprise in the confirmations, with new first-choice goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky sticking with his no31 shirt despite the no1 being free following Guglielmo Vicario’s loan move to Juventus.

Tottenham have seen their hopes of signing Savinho boosted even further, with Manchester City reportedly working on a deal for a replacement.

Standard Sport understands Spurs are in talks with Man City for Savinho, in addition to his team-mate at the Etihad Stadium in Omar Marmoush as they look to bolster their attack.

While nothing has been finalised ahead of Tottenham’s first game of the new Premier League season against Brentford, the double deal is gathering pace and there appears to have been a fresh breakthrough.

As reported by the Athletic, Man City have lined up Palmeiras winger Allan Elias as one of many options to replace Savinho.

Palmeiras, though, are aiming to keep hold of the 22-year-old, who has an €100million (£85m) in his release clause at the Arena Palmeiras.

Elias has previously been linked with a move to Liverpool and is widely expected to be the next big Palmeiras sale following the likes of Endrick and Estevao to Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively in recent years.

If Man City are able to reach an agreement for the winger, then it’s assumed that the door will be open for Savinho to finally make the switch to north London.

Savinho has been a long-standing transfer target for Tottenham after they initially failed to secure a move for the winger last summer.

After falling out of favour under former City boss Pep Guardiola, Savinho expressed his desire to leave the club and he was subsequently left out of new head coach Enzo Maresca’s squad for the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal last weekend after missing training through illness.

Tottenham are advancing in talks with Manchester City over a sensational double swoop for Omar Marmoush and Savinho.

Standard Sport understands that while nothing has yet been finalised, the deal is gathering pace as Spurs look to bolster their attack ahead of the new Premier League season.

Savinho has been a long-standing transfer target for Tottenham after they initially failed to secure a move for the Brazilian winger last summer.

After falling out of favour under former City boss Pep Guardiola, Savinho expressed his desire to leave the club and he was subsequently left out of new head coach Enzo Maresca’s squad for the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal last weekend after missing training through illness.

Marmoush has also been heavily linked with a move away from City after struggling for minutes last season.

The Egyptian forward played just 21 times under Guardiola in the Premier League last term, scoring three goals.

Big-spending Spurs have been in the market for attacking reinforcements all summer, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi stating that he wants two or three further additions before the end of an ambitious transfer window on September 1.

Supporter expectations then reached fever pitch when De Zerbi said during Spurs’ pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia that a “bomba” attacking signing was close to completion.

Now, with the revelation that the club are in talks with City over a double deal for Savinho and Marmoush, Spurs look set to overhaul their attacking options.

It is believed that Tottenham also still hold an interest in signing Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo. However, a move for the Dutch international is expected to be more difficult to pull off.

Gakpo has four years left on his contract at Anfield, while Liverpool insist there have been no club-to-club talks over a deal.

Roberto De Zerbi begins first full season at helm

Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham start their Premier League campaign away to Brentford on Saturday evening.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have made waves in the transfer market, splashing £237million on new players this summer.

But the real test comes this weekend with a tricky opening game in store at the Gtech Community Stadium.

After successive 17th-place finishes, Spurs are determined to embark on a new era under the Italian.

Familiar injury issues, though, continue to hamper their preparation for the new season, leaving De Zerbi to sweat over the fitness of several key first-team players.

Micky van de Ven, who recently signed a bumper new contract, did not play at all during pre-season after returning from extended leave following the World Cup.

It is unclear what is wrong with the Dutch international, but he was not pictured in training on Tuesday.

There was some positive news, with Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Mateus Fernandes all training ahead of Spurs’ trip across the capital.

Udogie, though, remains a doubt, having not played during pre-season as De Zerbi carefully manages his minutes after a succession of muscular issues.

Maddison, who is in contention to be named club captain after the departure of Cristian Romero, is another player seeing his minutes managed.

The England midfielder is still working his way back to full fitness after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of last season.

Although he has been pictured in training, his involvement against Brentford is also in doubt.

Striker Dominic Solanke is another doubt for the weekend, having been used sparingly in pre-season.

The 28-year-old missed the majority of last season with a recurring ankle injury and was absent from the relegation run-in due to a hamstring problem.

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Summer arrival Fernandes, signed from West Ham for £85million, has been struggling with a calf issue since linking up with Spurs on their pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia.

It is hoped he will be available for selection, but De Zerbi has so far opted to be cautious with Spurs’ injured players so as to avoid a repeat of last season’s injury crisis.

That means winger Mohammed Kudus, who has returned to training but has not played a single minute since January, is unlikely to be risked as he continues his recovery from a serious quad injury.

Without Kudus in the team, De Zerbi may hand Mikey Moore an opportunity on the right wing.

Moore is expected to leave Spurs on loan but not until they can bring in their own attacking targets.

Their drawn-out pursuit of Savinho has dragged on all summer, and Spurs appear no closer to an agreement with Manchester City for the Brazilian winger, leaving Moore in limbo.

There are also slight concerns that World Cup winner Pedro Porro may not yet be ready, having only recently returned to training.

The Spanish right-back is not carrying an injury but is potentially lacking sharpness and match fitness heading into this weekend.

Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski remain long-term absentees.

Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Moore, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison

Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski

Doubts: Maddison, Solanke, Porro, Fernandes, Udogie, Kudus

Venue: Gtech Community Stadium

Date and time: 5.30pm BST on Saturday, August 22, 2026

How to watch: Sky Sports

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