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Transfer MarketBlockbuster DealAug 22, 2026, 7:23 AM· 4 min read· in sports

Manchester City Agrees £160M Double Sale of Savinho and Marmoush to Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur has struck a blockbuster £160 million agreement to acquire attackers Savinho and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City.

By Aurelie Martin

Tottenham Management 40%Manchester City Camp 35%Player Representatives 25%
Tottenham Management
Focuses on the massive squad overhaul and the tactical necessity of acquiring elite attacking talent to fit De Zerbi's system.
Manchester City Camp
Emphasizes the financial windfall of the £160M sale and the pragmatic decision to offload players who requested to leave or were surplus to requirements.
Player Representatives
Highlights the players' desire for consistent first-team football and the appeal of being central figures in a major Premier League rebuild.

Fast facts

  • Tottenham Hotspur has agreed to a £160 million double deal to sign Savinho and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City.
  • The transfer includes an £85 million package for Brazilian winger Savinho and a £75 million fee for Egyptian forward Marmoush.
  • Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Savinho requested to leave the club on his first day in charge.
  • The blockbuster acquisitions push Tottenham's total summer spending under manager Roberto De Zerbi to an unprecedented £387 million.
  • Both players have been granted permission to undergo medicals ahead of Spurs' season opener against Brentford.

Why this matters

This £160 million double transfer fundamentally reshapes the Premier League's balance of power, transforming Tottenham into a heavily-armed attacking force under Roberto De Zerbi while handing Manchester City a massive financial windfall to reinvest in their title defense.

How we got here

  1. Summer 2022

    Manchester City acquires Savinho for £30.8 million, sending him on various loan spells.

  2. Jan 2025

    Omar Marmoush joins Manchester City from Eintracht Frankfurt for £59 million.

  3. July 2026

    Enzo Maresca takes over as Manchester City manager; Savinho immediately requests a transfer.

  4. Aug 20, 2026

    Tottenham and Manchester City reach a breakthrough in negotiations for a £160 million double deal.

  5. Aug 21, 2026

    Personal terms are finalized, and both players are authorized to travel for medicals.

Enzo Maresca arrived at Manchester City this summer to inherit a fractured attacking hierarchy, immediately confronted by a Brazilian winger demanding an exit on day one. Meanwhile, in North London, Roberto De Zerbi was staring down a Tottenham Hotspur squad in desperate need of a right-sided catalyst to execute his demanding tactical vision. The tension between City's desire to retain their high-potential assets and the players' hunger for guaranteed starting minutes threatened to drag into the final days of the transfer window.[4][5]

The standoff finally broke late this week when the two Premier League heavyweights struck a blockbuster compromise that satisfies all parties involved. Tottenham has agreed to a massive £160 million double transfer to acquire both Savinho and Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, fundamentally shifting the balance of attacking power in the English top flight. The players have been granted verbal authorization to travel to London for comprehensive medical examinations, bringing an end to weeks of intense, behind-the-scenes negotiations between the two front offices. For Spurs, the deal represents the final piece of a massive summer rebuild, while City secures a massive injection of capital to reinvest in their own squad.[3][4]

The landmark agreement breaks down into two separate but parallel transactions that will shatter Tottenham's previous spending norms. Spurs have committed to an initial £75 million fee for the 22-year-old Savinho, supplemented by £10 million in highly achievable performance bonuses that push his total package to £85 million. The Brazilian winger had been De Zerbi's absolute priority since the transfer window opened, viewed as the perfect profile to anchor the right flank in his possession-heavy system.[1][3]

Tottenham's unprecedented summer investment under Roberto De Zerbi.

Savinho's departure represents a massive financial victory for the City Football Group, who originally acquired the highly-rated winger for roughly £30.8 million in the summer of 2022. The £85 million sale secures a near £55 million profit on a player who, despite his obvious talent and successful loan spells, struggled to cement a permanent starting role under former manager Pep Guardiola. City's willingness to sanction the move reflects their pragmatic, business-first approach to player trading, prioritizing massive financial returns over keeping unhappy squad members who do not fully buy into the project.[4]

Marmoush's inclusion in the exodus provides Tottenham with the versatile central firepower they have lacked. The 27-year-old Egyptian international, who joined City from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 for £59 million, will follow his teammate to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a separate £75 million package. While Marmoush had not formally requested a transfer like his Brazilian counterpart, his path to regular minutes remained firmly blocked by the presence of Erling Haaland.[4]

Marmoush's inclusion in the exodus provides Tottenham with the versatile central firepower they have lacked.

The forward is reportedly eager to secure consistent first-team football, and personal terms between Marmoush and Tottenham were swiftly agreed upon earlier in the week. City's new manager was remarkably candid about the internal dynamics that led to the double sale. "Savio since day one asked to leave and Omar didn't ask to leave since day one," Maresca explained to reporters, acknowledging the difficulty of retaining players whose minds are made up.[3][4][6]

Roberto De Zerbi has overseen a massive squad overhaul ahead of the new Premier League season.

For Tottenham, the double swoop is a staggering statement of intent that underscores a dramatic shift in the club's operational strategy. De Zerbi has been granted unprecedented financial backing by the ENIC ownership group to completely overhaul a squad that narrowly avoided a disastrous finish last season. The arrival of the City duo pushes Tottenham's summer investment to an eye-watering £387 million, a figure that eclipses the spending of nearly every rival in Europe.[2][3][4]

This historic spending spree already includes the £100 million acquisition of Sandro Tonali, an £85 million deal for Mateus Fernandes, and the £52 million purchase of Jan Paul van Hecke. Both Savinho and Marmoush are tailor-made for De Zerbi's high-octane system, bringing elite dribbling, relentless pressing, and positional fluidity. The club is now racing against the clock to finalize the paperwork, hoping to register both attackers in time for their crucial Premier League season opener against Brentford.[3][4][5]

Viewpoints in depth

Tottenham's Tactical Overhaul

Spurs view the massive investment as the final piece of a necessary squad transformation.

For Tottenham's front office and manager Roberto De Zerbi, this £160 million outlay is the culmination of a ruthless summer rebuild. After narrowly avoiding a disastrous finish last season, the club's hierarchy recognized that De Zerbi's possession-heavy, high-pressing system required specific profiles that the existing squad lacked. By securing Savinho's elite one-on-one ability and Marmoush's relentless pressing, Spurs believe they have finally assembled a frontline capable of executing their manager's demanding tactical vision, justifying the unprecedented £387 million total summer spend.

Manchester City's Pragmatism

The defending champions see the sale as a massive financial victory and a necessary squad clearing.

Manchester City's willingness to sanction a £160 million double sale to a domestic rival underscores the club's ruthless pragmatism in the transfer market. Manager Enzo Maresca made it clear that retaining unhappy players is detrimental to squad harmony, noting that Savinho demanded an exit on day one. From a financial perspective, the City Football Group views the deal as a triumph—securing a near £55 million profit on Savinho alone. The massive influx of capital provides City with the flexibility to re-enter the market and reinforce their squad on their own terms.

Sources

Source coverage

6 outlets

3 viewpoints surfaced

Tottenham Management 40%Manchester City Camp 35%Player Representatives 25%
  1. [1]GoalManchester City Camp

    Tottenham advancing in negotiations to sign Manchester City duo Omar Marmoush and Savinho

    Read on Goal
  2. [2]The Irish TimesTottenham Management

    Summer spending on De Zerbi's Spurs squad over €400m

    Read on The Irish Times
  3. [3]Football365Player Representatives

    Tottenham agree package worth £85m for Man City winger Savinho, second move to follow

    Read on Football365
  4. [4]The GuardianManchester City Camp

    Manchester City set to sell Savinho and Omar Marmoush to Spurs for combined £160m

    Read on The Guardian
  5. [5]Football.LondonTottenham Management

    Tottenham's huge transfer bid for Omar Marmoush and Savinho

    Read on Football.London
  6. [6]TEAMtalkPlayer Representatives

    Omar Marmoush reaches decision on joining Tottenham after Man City name price

    Read on TEAMtalk

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