Tottenham has completed the signing of Brazilian international Savio from Manchester City for a fee that could reach £85 million. Manager Roberto De Zerbi lauded the 22-year-old winger as one of the world's best one-on-one dribblers but has urged him to add goal-scoring to his repertoire.
Savio, who prefers to be known by his first name Savio rather than his more commonly used nickname Savinho, arrived at Tottenham after a period at Manchester City where his goal output was limited. He scored two Premier League goals in two years following a productive loan spell at Girona in Spain, where he netted 11 goals in 41 appearances.
"To be complete he has to score," De Zerbi stated. "If you analyse the best wingers in the world, many of them score 10-15 goals per season. He has the qualities. Maybe he has to change habits because he has to be focused on the assists, the one-vs-one dribbling and also to score."
De Zerbi, who previously attempted to sign Savio for Brighton, expressed his delight at securing the player Tottenham had pursued for over a year. "We need players capable to win one-on-ones, to create something, create chances to score," the manager said. "In terms of the one-on-one he's one of the best. He can play right or left side. He's a big player for us, a big signing."
The club is also reportedly close to finalizing deals for Omar Marmoush from Manchester City and Cody Gakpo from Liverpool as the transfer window nears its close.
De Zerbi emphasized the importance of integrating new signings and instilling a winning mentality, stating that his team must get used to winning multiple matches consecutively. Savio is eligible to feature in Tottenham's upcoming Carabao Cup tie against Charlton. James Maddison will miss the match due to a minor shoulder injury sustained against Brentford.
