Tottenham Targets Omar Marmoush and Savinho for Transfer Boost
Tottenham are pushing hard on two fronts as the transfer window ticks towards its 1 September deadline, with Omar Marmoush and Savinho at the centre of a late, expensive play to arm Roberto De Zerbi for his first season in charge.
The north London club are working on a double deal that could soar to, or even beyond, £140 million. Ambitious money, even by Premier League standards, and a clear statement that De Zerbi will not be easing himself quietly into the job.
City leave Savinho out, Marmoush on the bench
At Manchester City, the situation around both targets is moving at different speeds.
Savinho was left out of the squad entirely for City’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth. He had featured in every pre-season game before that, but Enzo Maresca revealed the Brazilian missed training three days before the match because he was “a little bit ill”.
Marmoush, by contrast, stayed involved. The forward, who came off the bench against Arsenal in the Community Shield last weekend, was named among the substitutes again. He remains part of Maresca’s matchday plans, at least for now.
City’s new head coach drew a clear line between the two when asked about their futures.
“Omar is still here, still with us, it's a different situation to Savio and we see,” Maresca said. “Savio, since day one, asked to leave, and Omar didn't ask to leave since day one, not yet.
“It's always complicated when someone leaves, and one has to arrive. We'll see if Omar stays or what happens.”
The message on Savinho was blunt. The winger has pushed for a move and has not shifted from that stance.
“It’s quite clear that when players want to leave for any reason, it is complicated to convince them to stay and to change,” Maresca continued. “It happened with Rodri, the same is happening with Savinho.
“Since day one, he has been clear that he wants to leave. Now we are waiting. It's complicated when players are clear they want a new challenge, or they want to go to Spain or play more minutes, it becomes complicated to convince them to stay.”
Tottenham sense opportunity. A player who has told his club he wants out. Another who is still in the fold but very much on the radar. The window is open and the clock is loud.
De Zerbi keeps his cards close – but his intent is obvious
On the other side of this tug-of-war stands De Zerbi, publicly cautious, privately driving the club towards a decisive end to the window.
Asked directly about Savinho in his pre-match press conference, the Italian refused to cross the line into speculation.
“It's not right to speak about the players until they are official,” he said. “Just to say, I'm very happy. We have not finished yet in the transfer market.”
His restraint lasted only as far as names. On the wider project, he was far more revealing.
After Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford, De Zerbi spoke pointedly about the backing he has received from the Lewis family and the club’s hierarchy.
“I am very happy and I think I can't speak about the other coaches [in the past],” he said. “I just can say, in my experience, they kept their word, they kept what they said before I came in March, the end of March, in the middle of March, and then very happy.
“But what we are doing is not for the coach. It’s for the club, for the fans, for the history of the club, for the pride of the club, and for the level of the club.
“I think this moment is crucial for this club, because after two seasons like we had, we have to change the mood, completely change it, give it a boost.”
That “boost” is what makes the Marmoush–Savinho pursuit feel so significant. This is not tinkering around the edges. This is an attempt to reshape the attacking core in one hit.
De Zerbi made it clear he sees this window as a line in the sand.
“Then, I think when we have finished in this transfer market, for a long time we don't need many things and we can work all together in the right condition, in the right direction, to build step by step something special, or to go to compete for the top of the table.”
The message is unmistakable. Tottenham want to do their heavy lifting now, lock in their squad, and then live with it. Whether City bend on both Marmoush and Savinho in the coming days will go a long way to deciding just how high De Zerbi can aim in that fight for the top.
