Tottenham are rekindling interest in a £60million move for Manchester City winger Savinho as they draw up plans for a summer rebuild after escaping relegation on the final day of the Premier League season.
The 22-year-old Brazilian was a target last summer, with initial offers made and rejected, yet Pep Guardiola wanted to keep him at the Etihad Stadium unless City were able to find better in the market.
Savinho cost City £30.8m from sister club Girona and they wanted over £70m for him last summer. He was willing to make the move to north London but ultimately Guardiola said he needed him as cover. He made 35 appearances this season but predominantly from the bench, and in his two seasons at City has just two league goals in 52 games.
Spurs have also made enquiries for RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, but the 19-year-old winger is now expected to choose between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain. Diomande, who is heading to the World Cup this summer with Ivory Coast, is likely to be costly too, at around €100million (£86m).
Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi said after the 1-0 win over Everton which staved off relegation that a core group of around 12 players will remain part of his plans going forward, but he will demand a strong summer of change to make the squad competitive once again.
Sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham had already determined that the club should add more leaders to the dressing room rather than target just younger talents so talks are advanced with Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and Bournemouth centre back Marcos Senesi.
Tottenham have rekindled their interest in Manchester City winger Savinho
They have also enquired about RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande (left), but he is expected to go to either Liverpool or PSG
They have also sounded out Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow and England international James Trafford, also at Manchester City, is another firmly on their radar.
Club captain Cristian Romero is expected to depart with hope that Atletico Madrid rekindle their interest. The Argentine centre back did little to endear himself to supporters and past players by taking a trip back home, where he planned to support his boyhood club Belgrano, before seeing sense to return after a backlash.
De Zerbi wants the club to make swift progress in the market ahead of what will be a very competitive window.
‘From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team. I think we have not to change too many players,’ he said. ‘We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. And then we have to complete the squad with a first level of players.
‘First level of players because we suffered too much. I suffered a lot but the fans, the club, the board, the players, they suffered too much. We are Tottenham and we can’t suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up.
‘And I will be stronger. I don’t want to decide alone because football is a group. Sporting director, scouting, CEO, but my target now is finished to stay up. My target is to start the pre-season with the team I have in my dream, in my head.’
Goalkeeper and Sunday’s touchline cheerleader Gugliemo Vicario is still expected to leave although Inter Milan, with whom he had agreed personal terms, have been exploring other options.
Antonin Kinsky will also consider his options, though he has done much to establish himself as a popular member of the squad in recent weeks with Vicario out injured.
James Trafford is on Tottenham’s radar as they look set to move on from Guglielmo Vicario in goal
Leeds ‘keeper Karl Darlow is also being tracked, with Antonin Kinsky having performed well as Spurs No 1 while Vicario was injured
Roberto De Zerbi has asked the club to keep Bayern Munich loanee Joao Palhinha, who scored two crucial winning goals to keep Tottenham up
Micky van de Ven says he will stay despite interest from elsewhere but others are expected to depart.
Yves Bissouma and Ben Davies are out of contract, while final-day hero Joao Palhinha is at the end of his loan from Bayern Munich. The Portuguese midfielder, who scored vital winning goals against Wolves and Everton in the run-in, is wanted by former club Sporting Lisbon but De Zerbi has recommended that the club keep him.
‘Joao is a great example,’ said the Italian. ‘He’s on loan with us but he’s one of the first players to start here, and as we look to rebuild next season.’
Question marks remain over centre back Radu Dragusin, who has interest from Italy, while PSG loanee Randal Kolo Muani is wanted back at Juventus, where he spent the second half of last season. Mathys Tel could also be moved on after interest from Paris FC in January.
