Hear me out: Savinho would be the signing of the summer
Even at City's asking price, the artist formerly known as Sávio has a staggering ceiling - and could change Tottenham Hotspur's trajectory
As the world of football gets smarter, bargains become harder to find. How do you operate in a market where everyone’s picked up a copy of Moneyball at some point in their lives?
At the risk of sounding seditious considering the name of this publication, it’s often worth shifting our attention from ‘scouting’ to 'recruitment’. This means analysing how new players would fit within tactical setups and alongside other profiles at the club, gauging how a player’s output translates from one context to the other, and seizing opportunities when talented players are out of favour or phased out for new shiny toys.
Ashwin Raman is a writer and analyst who, at fifteen years old, was working for Dundee United. This summer, Ash is writing a weekly column exclusively for SCOUTED. Highlights include him bigging up Noni Madueke moments before Arsenal swooped.
Manchester City’s 21-year-old winger Savinho could be an example of the latter. With City adding Rayan Cherki, targeting Rodrygo and Maghnes Akliouche, and perhaps slowly moving to a quasi-4-2-2-2 shape in possession, the artist formerly known as Sávio might be on the move.
Tottenham Hotspur appear to be the most probable suitor and have bid a reported €50 million. As City value Savinho in the vicinity of €80 million, and considering Spurs’ simultaneous interest in a big-money move for Eberechi Eze, the Brazilian moving to Spurs is still a possibility rather than an inevitability.
But I’d argue a deal for Savinho, even close to City’s asking price, would still represent immense value for Spurs. In a window already dominated by blockbuster transfers, his could be the signing of the summer. With his team fit, portability, and talent ceiling in mind - recruitment, not scouting - let me explain why.
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What’s exciting?
Ball progression and chance creation
One of Savinho’s standout qualities is his ability to progress the ball into highly dangerous areas with his incisive dribbling. Last season, Savinho carried the ball into the box 3.82 times p90, in the 96th percentile for Premier League forwards, making him one of the best in the continent at progressing the ball into the penalty area.
