Tottenham Hotspur are set for a hectic final stretch of the transfer window as they look to address glaring deficiencies in attack, despite already committing £237million to new signings this summer. Roberto De Zerbi's side were exposed in a defeat to Brentford at the weekend, a result that laid bare how much work remains before the squad resembles a cohesive unit.
De Zerbi conceded after the loss that his team is not yet the finished product, and much of the frustration stemmed from a toothless performance going forward. While Spurs moved quickly earlier in the window to strengthen their midfield and defensive ranks, the attacking department has proven far trickier to sort out, and the Brentford defeat only intensified the urgency.
The Italian coach is understood to be targeting three additions in attack before deadline day: two wingers and a centre-forward. Sources close to the situation suggest that landing a winger and a striker before the window shuts is achievable, though squeezing in a third attacking body appears far more challenging given the limited time remaining.
Manchester City's Savinho remains a long-standing target, with Spurs having held discussions over the Brazilian winger since last summer. A medical is reportedly being arranged as talks progress toward finalizing his move to north London. Alongside Savinho, Tottenham are also pushing to bring in his City teammate Omar Marmoush, with a loan arrangement including a £50million conditional obligation to buy at season's end reportedly on the table. Marmoush was an unused substitute as City edged past their opponents in Enzo Maresca's first league match in charge, and while negotiations between the clubs are ongoing, no agreement had been finalized as of Monday morning.
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, who netted in his side's 2-2 draw at Newcastle to open their league campaign, is another name high on Spurs' wishlist. However, a deal for the Dutchman is expected to be considerably harder to broker. Liverpool are said to be firm that they would need to bring in a replacement before sanctioning his departure, and with four years still left on his contract, any transfer would not come cheap.
On the defensive side, De Zerbi has effectively ruled out signing a replacement for Djed Spence, who completed a move to Inter Milan. Asked directly whether he wanted a new right-back, De Zerbi responded: "In this moment no. We have Archie Gray, he prefers playing in the midfield position, but he can play very well also as a right-back. I think we are good. I don't want 25, 26 players, I want 21, 22. That's enough."
As for outgoings, teenage winger Mikey Moore's inclusion in the starting lineup against Brentford underscored just how thin Tottenham's attacking options currently are. Moore had been tipped for a loan exit, with Bundesliga club Koln reportedly keen, but he has been retained while the Savinho deal takes shape. Once that transfer is completed, Moore is expected to be given the green light to depart on loan.
Midfielder Pape Matar Sarr also looks set for the exit door on a permanent basis, with De Zerbi unable to promise him regular game time. Galatasaray and Aston Villa have both been credited with interest in the Senegalese international.
Meanwhile, Richarlison's long-term future at the club has come under renewed scrutiny, particularly with Marmoush potentially arriving to bolster the forward line. Despite finishing as Tottenham's leading scorer across all competitions last season, the Brazilian struggled physically against Brentford. Spurs hold an option to extend his contract by another year, through 2028, and are expected to demand a substantial fee should they allow him to leave.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.