Savinho's Absence Complicates Manchester City’s Community Shield Plans
Enzo Maresca’s plans for his first piece of silverware as Manchester City manager have taken an early knock.
Savinho, the winger many expected to light up the Community Shield against Arsenal, missed City’s latest training session at the City Football Academy after falling ill, according to The Athletic’s Sam Lee. With the curtain-raiser set for the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, his absence lands at exactly the wrong time for City – and at a very interesting moment for Tottenham.
Savinho out, big names back in
While Savinho stayed away, some familiar faces were very much back in the thick of it.
Jack Grealish trained as he pushes for what would be his first appearance for City in over a year, having battled through a long and frustrating spell of injuries. Erling Haaland was out there too, alongside Jeremy Doku and January signing Marc Guehi, all of them jostling for a place in Maresca’s first serious starting XI against Mikel Arteta’s side this weekend.
For Maresca, the session underlined both promise and problems. Grealish edging closer. Haaland sharp. Options building. But the potential loss of Savinho, even short term, complicates the attacking picture just as the season’s first trophy is up for grabs.
Tottenham circling as interest intensifies
The timing of Savinho’s illness only sharpens the focus on his future.
North London’s interest is no secret. Roberto De Zerbi is closing in on his main attacking target, with Tottenham believed to be nearing a full agreement for the 22‑year‑old, who is valued at around £60 million.
Spurs are moving like a club tired of looking over their shoulder. After back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, they have ripped up the old script and gone hard at the market. The aim is blunt: drag themselves back toward the top end of the table, and do it quickly.
Spurs’ rebuild gathers serious pace
Tottenham’s summer has been defined by volume and intent.
They started at the back. Martin Dubravka came in to bolster the goalkeeping department, while Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke arrived to reshape the defence. It was a full reset of the spine, the kind of structural work that signals a long-term plan rather than a short-term patch-up.
Then came the statement in midfield. Spurs dropped a combined £185 million on Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, two signings that screamed ambition and immediately altered the feel of De Zerbi’s squad. With the base of the team rebuilt, the spotlight naturally swung to the forward line.
Savinho sits at the top of that list. A wide player who fits De Zerbi’s aggressive, vertical style, he is exactly the sort of profile Tottenham have lacked in recent years. But prising him out of Manchester will not be straightforward.
Sales to fund the final push
To keep pushing on Savinho, Spurs know they must sell.
Cristian Romero is close to a move to Atletico Madrid, a significant departure both financially and emotionally given his status in the dressing room. Full-back Djed Spence is also set for a switch to Inter, another piece of business designed to clear space and free up funds.
Those exits are expected to give Tottenham the financial room to really test City’s resolve. The question is how far the Etihad hierarchy are willing to bend. Selling a gifted 22-year-old to a direct domestic rival, without a replacement lined up, is the sort of decision that can echo through a season.
For now, City hold the cards. But Tottenham are not going away.
Gakpo on the radar if Savinho deal stalls
Spurs have prepared for the possibility that City simply refuse to play ball.
Cody Gakpo has been identified as an alternative of similar calibre. The Liverpool forward is highly admired at Hotspur Way, his versatility and goal threat fitting neatly into De Zerbi’s blueprint for a more fluid, unpredictable attack.
Landing him, though, looks far more complex. Journalist Ben Jacobs has reported that Liverpool are reluctant to sanction Gakpo’s exit unless they first secure multiple attacking replacements. That stance pushes the fee up, the timeline out, and the likelihood down.
So Tottenham wait, pushing on Savinho while keeping Gakpo in the background, knowing that time is running out.
One last piece before the window shuts
The transfer deadline looms, and Tottenham have one final job on their list.
They have rebuilt the defence. They have transformed the midfield. Now they want the forward who completes the picture – whether that is Savinho, stepping out of City’s shadow into a starring role in north London, or Gakpo, prised away from Anfield in one of the window’s most audacious moves.
For Maresca, the immediate concern is more simple: get through the Community Shield, possibly without Savinho, and set the tone for his City reign.
For Spurs and De Zerbi, the question is sharper: can they land the marquee attacker that turns an aggressive rebuild into a genuine challenge?
