Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of completing a deal for winger Savinho, and supporters may not have to wait long to see the Brazilian in a Spurs shirt for the first time.
The north London club have long admired Savinho, having attempted to sign him last summer before he ultimately joined Manchester City. Twelve months later, negotiations have finally reached a conclusion, with reports indicating an agreement has been struck with City for an initial fee in the region of £75million, which could rise to as much as £85million including add-ons.
The timing of the move is significant, as it arrives just before the opening weekend of the new Premier League season. Tottenham begin their campaign away at Brentford, and there is now a race against the clock to get Savinho registered in time to feature in that fixture.
According to reports, if the fee with Manchester City has indeed been finalised, Savinho is expected to undergo a medical and complete the formalities of his transfer on Friday. However, to be eligible for selection against Brentford, he must be officially registered with the Premier League by the 12pm deadline on Friday — the cut-off point for clubs to register new signings ahead of the opening round of fixtures.
Should that deadline be missed, Tottenham would still have further opportunities to hand Savinho his debut in short order. The Brazilian could instead be included in the squad for the Carabao Cup tie against Charlton Athletic the following Wednesday, or wait until Spurs host Newcastle United in the Premier League the weekend after that.
Whichever route his introduction takes, there appears to be little doubt over his readiness to contribute immediately. Manchester City used Savinho regularly throughout their pre-season schedule, meaning fitness concerns are minimal as he prepares to switch clubs within the same league.
The protracted nature of Tottenham's pursuit reflects the esteem in which the winger is held at the club. Having missed out on him twelve months ago, Spurs persisted with their interest throughout the current transfer window, eventually striking an agreement with City as the market approached its closing stages. His arrival is seen as a boost to Tottenham's attacking options as they look to build on last season and compete on multiple fronts under their current setup.
For now, attention turns to whether the paperwork can be completed in time for Savinho to be involved from the very first matchday. A positive outcome would allow new head coach and squad alike to integrate him immediately into competitive action, rather than easing him in gradually during the early weeks of pre-season-style training.
Either way, Tottenham fans will not have to wait long to catch their first glimpse of the Brazilian in action, with his debut now expected within the next week to ten days regardless of whether the Brentford deadline is met.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.