Savinho seals £75m Spurs move from Manchester City – and changes name to Sávio
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Tottenham Hotspur have completed the £75m signing of Brazilian winger Savinho from Manchester City, a deal that could rise to £85m with add-ons and stands as a record sale for City, who bought him from Troyes for £30.8m in 2024. In a notable personal touch, the 22-year-old has asked to be known as Sávio at his new club, with that name appearing on the back of his shirt as he begins a fresh chapter after crossing the Premier League divide.
The move takes Spurs' summer spending to £304.5m, with manager Roberto De Zerbi still pursuing City's Omar Marmoush and keeping tabs on Liverpool's Cody Gakpo as he looks to sharpen an attack that was blunted in a 3-0 opening-day defeat at Brentford. Sávio, who prefers cutting in from the right onto his stronger left foot, contributed three goals and 13 assists in his debut City season before a quieter campaign of four goals and three assists, and has scored twice in 53 Premier League appearances; he is already eligible for Spurs' Carabao Cup tie against Charlton, and De Zerbi praised his "energy, imagination and quality in wide positions."
- Savinho joins Spurs from Man City for £75m, now known as Sávio
- Deal could rise to £85m; record sale fee for City
- Spurs' summer spend hits £304.5m, more signings expected
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Tottenham Hotspur have signed Brazilian winger Savinho from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £75m, part of a big-spending summer under new manager Roberto De Zerbi. City had signed the 22-year-old from French club Troyes in 2024, and he had become a regular in their attack, known for cutting in from the right wing onto his favoured left foot.
The move is notable partly because it sees a player switch between two Premier League rivals, and partly because Savinho has chosen to be known by a different name, Sávio, at his new club. Spurs have been active in the transfer market this summer as they look to strengthen the squad after a difficult start to the season.
Full account
Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Brazil winger Savinho from Manchester City in a deal worth an initial £75m, potentially rising to £85m with add-ons. In a further twist, the 22-year-old has indicated he wishes to be known simply as Sávio at his new club, with that name set to appear on the back of his shirt. The transfer represents a record sale for City, who paid £30.8m to sign him from French side Troyes in 2024.
The move brings to an end a saga stretching back more than a year, after Spurs had an earlier bid rebuffed last summer, when Savinho chose to stay at the Etihad Stadium. He has now signed a long-term contract under Roberto De Zerbi, who has been eager to sharpen his attacking options following a chastening 3-0 opening-weekend defeat at Brentford. "It's taken a while but I'm very happy to be here," the player said, adding that a conversation with De Zerbi convinced him to push for the move. De Zerbi, in turn, praised a forward he believes brings "energy, imagination and quality in wide positions", along with the courage to take on defenders.
Savinho's two seasons at City told contrasting stories. In his debut campaign he was a key creative outlet, contributing three goals and 13 assists in all competitions, ten of them in the Premier League, and ranking among the division's leaders for chances created and ball-carrying from open play. Last season, however, his involvement fell away sharply under Pep Guardiola as competition in wide areas increased; he managed just seven Premier League starts, finishing with four goals and three assists in all competitions and only two goals from 53 league appearances overall in his time at the club.
The deal is part of a heavy summer outlay at Spurs, who have also brought in Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke this window, plus free-transfer arrivals Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. Reports differ slightly on the scale of the spending, with one outlet putting Tottenham's total summer outlay at around £304.5m and another citing a combined £312m for the three other permanent signings alone. Spurs are not expected to stop there: they are described as close to agreeing a deal, worth between £50m and £75m, for City forward Omar Marmoush, with one report suggesting an agreement could be reached before the 1 September deadline, while Liverpool's Cody Gakpo has also been mentioned as a target.
Where outlets differ
The Guardian frames the story around the surprise name change to 'Sávio' and Tottenham's tactical need for width after the Brentford defeat, and reports interest in Liverpool's Cody Gakpo; the BBC does not mention the name change or Gakpo.
The BBC gives more detail on the transfer saga (Spurs' failed bid last summer, more than 12 months in the making) and on Savinho's reduced role and underlying statistical output at City, including detailed 2024-25 metrics; the Guardian's statistical detail is comparatively brief.
The two reports cite different figures for Tottenham's summer spending: the Guardian puts total spend at roughly £304.5m, while the BBC cites a combined £312m for three other named signings (Fernandes, Tonali, van Hecke) alone — the figures are not directly comparable and the sources do not reconcile them.
The BBC lists more of Spurs' other summer business (Fernandes, Tonali, van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson, Dubravka) and notes the Marmoush deal could close before the 1 September deadline; the Guardian mentions Marmoush and Gakpo but not the other close-season signings in the same detail.