Savinho's Absence Poses Challenge for Enzo Maresca at Manchester City

Enzo Maresca’s plans for his first piece of silverware as Manchester City boss have hit an early snag.

Savinho, one of the brightest attacking sparks in pre-season, missed City’s latest training session ahead of the Community Shield showdown with Arsenal at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. As reported by The Athletic’s Sam Lee, the 22-year-old Brazilian sat out due to illness, casting doubt over his involvement in Sunday’s curtain-raiser.

For a manager still shaping his City, it is an unwelcome twist.

While Savinho stayed away, the City Football Academy pitch was far from empty. Jack Grealish took a full part as he inches toward what would be his first appearance for the club in over a year, after a long and frustrating battle with injury. His return would be a significant boost, both in the dressing room and on the ball.

Erling Haaland trained, Jeremy Doku trained, and January signing Marc Guehi was also involved, all of them pushing to be on the teamsheet when City face Mikel Arteta’s side. Competition for those attacking and defensive slots looks fierce. Maresca has options. He may just be missing one of his most intriguing ones.

Savinho in demand – and not just in Manchester

The timing of Savinho’s absence feels anything but routine.

The winger is at the centre of intense interest from north London, with Roberto De Zerbi reportedly closing in on his primary attacking target. Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be nearing a full agreement for the £60 million-rated forward as they try to drag themselves back toward the Premier League’s elite.

Spurs’ ambition is clear. Their league finishes have been grim – back-to-back 17th-place campaigns – and the response has been to rip up the squad and start again.

They began by reinforcing the spine from the back. Martin Dubravka arrived to bolster the goalkeeping department. Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke were all brought in to reshape a defence that had been leaking points and confidence.

Then came the statement in midfield. Tottenham threw down a combined £185 million to land Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, a pair designed to change both the tempo and toughness of De Zerbi’s side. The rebuild has not been subtle. It has been aggressive.

Now the gaze is fixed on the final third. That is where Savinho comes in.

Spurs push on – and City hold the cards

To keep the recruitment drive rolling, Spurs are preparing to cash in on some big names.

Cristian Romero is closing in on a move to Atletico Madrid, a significant departure from the heart of their defence. Djed Spence is set for a switch to Inter, another exit that underlines the scale of the reset in north London.

Those sales are expected to open up the financial space Tottenham need to go hard for Savinho. The question is whether City will actually bite.

Selling a talented 22-year-old winger to a direct domestic rival is not a straightforward call, particularly for a club that plans seasons, not weeks. Unless City identify and secure a suitable replacement, the Etihad hierarchy are likely to be wary of strengthening a side they expect to be facing in high-stakes games.

So Spurs wait. And push. And wait some more.

Gakpo on the radar if Savinho deal stalls

Tottenham are not walking into this window with only one card in their hand.

If a deal for Savinho proves too complex or too costly, they have already lined up alternatives. High among them is Cody Gakpo. The Liverpool forward is admired at Hotspur Way for his versatility and output across the front line.

Landing him, though, looks far from simple. As journalist Ben Jacobs has outlined, Liverpool are reluctant to sanction Gakpo’s departure unless they first secure multiple attacking replacements. For a club with its own ambitions and fixture load, weakening the forward line without cover would be a major risk.

That stance makes any Gakpo move a far more tangled negotiation than the Savinho pursuit, where City’s willingness to sell is the key variable.

One last piece before the window slams shut

The clock is ticking.

Tottenham have rebuilt their defence. They have rebuilt their midfield. One final box remains: a marquee attacking signing to complete De Zerbi’s reshaped front line.

Whether that name is Savinho, wrestled away from City at the end of a complicated dance, or Gakpo, prised from Anfield after Liverpool rearm, Spurs are determined to walk out of this window with a new focal point in the final third.

While Maresca weighs up his options for Arsenal without a potentially ill Brazilian winger, De Zerbi waits to see if City’s loss will become Tottenham’s new face of the attack.