Maresca confirms Savinho wants City exit amid Spurs talks

Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Savinho made his wish to leave Manchester City clear from the beginning of the head coach’s time at the club, with Tottenham moving closer to signing the Brazilian and Omar Marmoush in a combined deal worth £160m.

According to Maresca, Savinho stated his intention to go "since day one", while Marmoush has not formally asked to leave. Even so, both attackers appear likely to depart as Spurs push ahead with moves valued at £85m for Savinho and £75m for Marmoush.

Maresca outlines different situations

Maresca drew a distinction between the two players when discussing their futures. Savinho, he said, had been open from the outset about wanting to move on, making the situation difficult for the club to reverse. Marmoush, by contrast, has not directly requested an exit, though he is also expected to leave City if the Tottenham deal is completed.

The City manager suggested that once a player has decided he wants to go, there is often little room to change that position. In Savinho’s case, that stance has remained consistent throughout Maresca’s tenure.

Savinho sale would represent major profit

Savinho joined the City Football Group in the summer of 2022 for €40m, equivalent to £30.8m, initially signing for Troyes. He later spent time on loan at PSV and Girona before arriving at Manchester City two years ago.

A sale to Tottenham for £85m would therefore represent a significant return for City’s owners, amounting to a profit of close to £55m on the original outlay. Despite his promise, the 22-year-old did not establish himself as a regular first-choice option under Pep Guardiola.

Marmoush also nearing departure

Marmoush’s path at City has been shorter. The Egypt forward was signed from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 for about £59m, but he too struggled to become a regular starter. Competition with Erling Haaland limited his opportunities in Guardiola’s side.

That context helps explain why a move is now on the table, even without a direct request from the player to leave. For Tottenham, the deal would add another forward option as the club continues an aggressive summer rebuild.

Spurs spending set to rise further

If Tottenham complete both transfers, their spending on Roberto De Zerbi’s squad this summer would rise to £387m.

• Sandro Tonali – £100m
• Mateus Fernandes – £85m
• Jan Paul van Hencke – £52m
• Potential Savinho deal – £85m
• Potential Omar Marmoush deal – £75m

The scale of that investment would underline Tottenham’s intent ahead of the new season, while for City it would mark the likely end of two attacking spells that never fully took hold under Guardiola.