Savinho's Illness Puts Manchester City Plans at Risk

Enzo Maresca’s plans for his first piece of Manchester City silverware have hit an untimely snag.

Savinho, the 22-year-old winger generating noise on and off the pitch, sat out City’s latest training session ahead of the Community Shield showdown with Arsenal at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. As reported by The Athletic’s Sam Lee, the Brazilian missed the workout through illness, casting doubt over his involvement in Sunday’s traditional curtain-raiser.

For a manager still shaping his City era, it is an unwelcome twist.

Savinho out, big names in

While Savinho stayed away, the City Football Academy still crackled with star power.

Jack Grealish was back in the thick of it, pushing to make what would be his first appearance for the club in over a year after his long-running injury problems. His return is one of the more intriguing subplots of City’s pre-season, and his presence among the group felt significant.

Erling Haaland trained, Jeremy Doku trained, January signing Marc Guehi trained. All three are battling for starting roles against Arsenal, each offering Maresca a different route to goal and a different flavour to his high-possession blueprint.

But the absentee was the talking point. Not just because of the illness. Because of who is watching.

Tottenham circle as City weigh their hand

Savinho’s absence comes just as interest from north London reaches boiling point.

Roberto De Zerbi is closing in on his prime attacking target, with Tottenham believed to be nearing a full agreement for the £60 million-rated forward. Spurs have made no secret of their desire to add a dynamic wide threat, and the Brazilian fits the profile perfectly.

They are acting like a club desperate to drag themselves out of mediocrity. Back-to-back 17th-place Premier League finishes have scarred the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The response has been ruthless.

The early weeks of the window were about building a platform. Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke arrived to reshape a leaky back line. Then came the statement in midfield: a combined £185 million spent to land Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, a double signing that screamed intent.

Now the spotlight has shifted to the final third. And Savinho sits at the centre of it.

Aggressive rebuild, big exits

Tottenham’s recruitment strategy this summer has been unapologetically bold. To go again in attack, they know they must sell.

Cristian Romero is close to joining Atletico Madrid, a move that would break up one of their few established defensive pillars. Full-back Djed Spence is set for Inter, another exit designed to create space on the wage bill and in the squad.

Those departures are expected to open the financial door for a serious bid for Savinho. The question is how far City are willing to let it swing.

Selling a highly rated 22-year-old to a domestic rival is not a decision the Etihad hierarchy will take lightly. Any deal would almost certainly hinge on City securing a replacement or being convinced that Maresca’s squad can absorb the loss without weakening their title defence.

Gakpo on the radar if Savinho stays put

Tottenham, though, are not putting all their hopes on one winger.

If City dig in and a deal for Savinho proves too complex or too costly, Spurs have lined up alternative elite targets. High on that list is Cody Gakpo.

The Liverpool forward is admired at Hotspur Way for his versatility and end product. But prising him away from Anfield looks far from straightforward. Journalist Ben Jacobs has outlined Liverpool’s stance: they are reluctant to sell Gakpo unless they can bring in multiple attacking replacements first.

So while Savinho’s name dominates the headlines, Gakpo lingers in the background as a far trickier, more tangled option.

One last piece before the window slams shut

As the Community Shield looms, Maresca has a simple concern: will Savinho be fit enough to face Arsenal?

Tottenham’s concern is very different: will Savinho still be a City player by the time the window closes?

With the deadline fast approaching, Spurs have one final box to tick in an already radical rebuild. Whether De Zerbi gets his Brazilian livewire or is forced to pivot toward Gakpo, the next few days will decide if Tottenham’s summer is merely ambitious — or genuinely transformative.