Tottenham revive Savinho interest as Man City weigh up second chance to sell

Manchester City are yet to close the door on selling Savinho to Tottenham for the second successive summer, with the Brazilian winger’s lack of consistent form prompting a fresh internal debate over his future at the Etihad.

Spurs showed strong interest in Savinho during the previous transfer window, and the player was open to the move, but City ultimately shut down those discussions. Twelve months on, Tottenham are looking again and City have not yet ruled out a sale — a shift that would represent a decisive reversal of the club’s position from last year.

Savinho has produced flashes of quality since joining City but has been unable to hold down a regular starting place. That inconsistency sits at the heart of the debate inside the club, where there was reportedly no full agreement last summer on whether to sell.

The situation echoes earlier moments of internal disagreement in City’s recent history. In 2019, Pep Guardiola pushed for a centre-back to replace Vincent Kompany, but sporting director Txiki Begiristain refused to meet Leicester’s £80 million asking price for Harry Maguire. Aymeric Laporte then suffered a serious injury late in the window, City surrendered the Premier League title, and the club signed Rúben Dias the following year — going on to win four consecutive league titles.

More recently, Guardiola resisted calls to overhaul the squad after those four title successes, believing the group could sustain its level. That judgement proved costly as City’s form collapsed mid-season, though two trophies across the last three windows — during which the squad was significantly rebuilt — have since vindicated the decision to act.

The Savinho situation may follow a similar pattern: a call that looked debatable at the time becoming clearer only in retrospect. Whether City conclude that holding onto him or cashing in is the right move, the club’s recent record suggests they would prefer any misjudgement to be recoverable rather than terminal.