Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Savinho for an initial £75m after the winger asked to leave Manchester City, according to boss Enzo Maresca.
Savinho, 22, will now have a medical before signing a long-term deal with Spurs, who could up paying a further £10m in potential add-ons.
The Brazilian’s move to north London has been more than 12 months in the making, with Spurs failing in a bid to sign him last summer.
Savinho opted to remain at Etihad Stadium, but his game time was limited under Pep Guardiola last term when he made just seven Premier League starts.
On Tuesday, Spain World Cup winner Rodri said he was ready to “feel that excitement again” after completing a move to La Liga champions Barcelona.
“It’s quite clear when players want to leave, for any reason, then it’s complicated to convince them to stay or change their thoughts,” said Maresca.
“It happened with Rodri, the same thing is happening with Savinho – since day one he asked me that he wants to leave. So now we are waiting.”
Speaking before City’s opening Premier League game against Bournemouth on Sunday, Maresca added: “When the player is thinking they need a new challenge or want to change – because they want probably to go back to Spain, or play more minutes… it’s complicated to convince them to stay.”
What business have Spurs done so far?
Having spent a combined £185m on midfielders Mateus Fernandes from West Ham and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, Tottenham head coach Roberto de Zerbi is looking to strengthen his side’s attack.
But Spurs are unlikely to end their spending here, with sources telling BBC Sport talks for Savinho’s City team-mate Omar Marmoush are progressing positively.
The Egypt forward, a £59m signing from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2025, fell down the pecking order at City last season.
“I don’t know. Omar [Marmoush] is still here. Different situation than with Savinho. We’ll see what happens,” Maresca said.
Spurs also remain interested in Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, but it is unclear whether they could finance a deal for the Netherlands attacker as well as moves for Marmoush and Savinho.
Savinho’s arrival will push Spurs’ spending this summer past £300m, although they have recouped about £140m through the sales of Cristian Romero, Djed Spence and Luka Vuskovic.
Tottenham kick off their Premier League campaign at Brentford on Saturday (17:30 BST), while City host Bournemouth on Sunday (14:00 BST).
Why Spurs are still betting big on Savinho
ByMohamed Moallim
BBC Sport journalist
Savinho’s output at Manchester City makes Tottenham’s decision to invest heavily in him look curious at first glance.
The Brazilian, who last October signed a contract extension to 2031 at City, has made 84 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and providing 13 assists.
In the Premier League, the winger has scored just twice over his two seasons at the Etihad.
But those numbers tell only part of the story of a player who joined City from sister club Troyes for £30.8m in 2024.
Savinho’s reputation was built during a breakout 2023-24 campaign with Girona, where he was on loan from Troyes, when he became one of La Liga’s most dangerous ball carriers.
He featured in 37 league matches as Girona secured Champions League qualification for the first time, registering nine goals and eight assists across his various attacking roles.
Savinho also led La Liga for:
Successful take-ons (104)
Progressive carries (181)
Goal-creating actions (25)
Expected assists (9.9)
He also ranked second for passes into the penalty area and progressive carrying distance.
Most of his best work came from the left. Girona used him there in 27 matches, during which he scored five goals and supplied six assists, although he also featured centrally and from the right.
That versatility and directness could suit De Zerbi’s approach. His teams often try to draw opponents forward in possession before exploiting the space that opens up, creating one-against-one situations for wide players.
Savinho’s acceleration and willingness to take defenders on make him well suited to those moments. From the left he can hold the width and attack the outside, while from the right he can move inside on to his stronger left foot and combine with team-mates.
His value is not limited to goals.
At Girona, much of his threat came from carrying the ball over distance and disrupting defensive shape, which could give Spurs a more direct route through compact defences and create openings for central forwards.
That side of his game was less visible at City, where competition for attacking places was intense and players such as Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki were better suited to central roles.
Tottenham are therefore investing in the qualities Savinho showed so clearly at Girona: pace, ball carrying, one-against-one ability and chance creation from wide areas. At 22, those attributes help explain why Spurs are prepared to pay a huge sum despite his modest scoring return in Manchester.
