Tottenham are facing a tight deadline to register both Omar Marmoush and Savinho if they are to have the two Manchester City forwards available for their Saturday clash with Brentford.
Spurs are attempting to pull off a remarkable double signing of the two Etihad Stadium attackers, with the combined fee potentially reaching or exceeding £140million, in a bid to bolster pace, creativity and goal threat in De Zerbi’s forward line. Negotiations have been advancing between the two clubs as Tottenham seek to reach an agreement and provide their manager with the attacking options he has requested.
football.london revealed last month that the Italian coach was a keen admirer of Marmoush, who the 27-year-old Egyptian fits his tactical approach ideally with his speed, clinical finishing, intelligent movement and reputation for pressing opponents from the front. The forward is capable of operating as a central striker, supporting a main forward or cutting inside from the left flank.
Marmoush impressed during the 2024/25 campaign with 45 goal contributions in 51 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt and then Manchester City following his £59million switch to the Premier League in January. Despite making a strong start to life in English football, the Egyptian found himself used more sparingly by Pep Guardiola last season, frequently acting as understudy to Erling Haaland.
He managed just eight Premier League starts and two in the Champions League, finishing with 11 goal contributions across his 36 outings, the majority of which came from the substitutes’ bench.
De Zerbi’s admiration for Marmoush comes at a time when Spurs have monitored the player for some considerable period. Former striker Mido has also stated he contacted former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy approximately two years ago urging him to sign his fellow countryman.
Earlier this year, Mido stated on OnTime Sports that he had contacted Levy a year and a half previously and recommended he monitor Marmoush, predicting he would become one of the world’s top players, though he believes the club did not pursue the signing.
Tottenham have maintained a long-term pursuit of Savinho and football.london disclosed that during the pre-season trip to New Zealand and Australia, there was increasing optimism within the club that a deal could be arranged for the 22-year-old Brazilian, with suggestions that the ‘bomba’ the Italian mentioned on that tour could involve acquiring both City attackers. This could now become reality.
Savinho managed 13 assists during an impressive first Premier League season but suffered an injury-disrupted campaign last time around.
Both De Zerbi and Tottenham are confident the quick, skilful wide player, capable of featuring on either flank, can thrive within his tactical system, and the north London club could commit £85million to Savinho, a record fee received by City for a sale, due to their faith in his future prospects. The Manchester outfit were unwilling to sell the player last season because of their own confidence in his abilities.
Cody Gakpo remains another player on De Zerbi’s wanted list, and the pattern continues this summer of Tottenham targeting players with Premier League experience to ensure the club makes a strong start in a season with fewer fixtures.
Should Tottenham successfully negotiate for both City stars, registration must be completed by midday on Friday if De Zerbi is to have both available for the visit to the Gtech Community Stadium to take on Brentford on Saturday evening.
Both players have featured in City’s pre-season fixtures under new manager Enzo Maresca so will possess reasonable fitness levels, although Savinho was absent from the Community Shield loss to Arsenal due to illness according to the Italian. There is also the issue of whether Maresca will require replacements to be in place first or at least at an advanced stage, particularly given Jeremy Doku’s reported injury that will rule him out from the season’s start.
When speaking to football.london with an enthusiastic expression during the tour in Sydney, the Italian stated that in the transfer market when he wants one player he becomes like a shark, with no opportunity to refuse, that the market is certainly not finished but they have accomplished 60 per cent of their project in the market, and now they have another bomba.
Three weeks later, with additional funds generated from sales, and the shark might finally secure two of his primary attacking targets and that bomba could simply be an enormous double deal to revolutionise Tottenham’s forward line.