He’s in London: Spurs eyeing Savinho upgrade who’s “one of the best forwards in Europe”
The life of a Tottenham Hotspur fan is never dull, is it? The last few weeks have been a perfect example of that unique rollercoaster ride.
It’s been a period of high hopes and sudden letdowns, a feeling so familiar that fans have a special word for it: Spursy. The disappointment of missing out on a top target like Eberechi Eze was a real low blow.
But then, true to form, the mood swung completely. The team went out and secured a fantastic victory over the giants of Manchester City, and that was quickly followed by the huge excitement of announcing the signing of Xavi Simons on Saturday. It was a whirlwind of emotions.
Just as everyone was starting to celebrate, however, the rollercoaster took another dip. In front of their new arrival, Simons, the team suffered its first defeat of the season this weekend against Bournemouth.
It was a classic reminder that at Tottenham, things are rarely straightforward.
While the new manager, Thomas Frank, has started well with the results on the pitch, the work behind the scenes in the transfer market has been a real challenge.
The club saw deals for two of the Premier League’s finest English talents, Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, slip through their fingers. And now, another long-running pursuit seems to be ending in frustration.
For a number of weeks, the talk has been all about Savinho. Spurs opened talks with Manchester City, trying to bring the exciting Brazilian winger to North London.
At first, a deal looked possible. But as the clock ticks down to the transfer deadline, that possibility has faded.
Savinho has been out with an injury, and recent reports suggest that Manchester City are now reluctant to let him go. Even though Spurs are still trying, they have been forced to start looking at other options.
According to the latest news, that alternative could be Ademola Lookman from Atalanta. The former Everton and Fulham player has been a revelation in Italy, completely transforming his career.
He’s made it clear he wants a new challenge and has even moved back to London to try and force a permanent exit from his Italian club. If Tottenham cannot get the Savinho deal over the line, Lookman is likely to emerge as their prime target in the final hours of the window, with a potential fee in the region of £35-40 million.
This would be a fascinating change of direction. While Savinho is a fantastic young talent, Lookman offers something very different and, in one crucial area, something more.
Thomas Frank is in need of more creativity in his attacking line, and on that front, both players bring a lot to the table. Savinho is a dazzling dribbler who created 13 assists last season.
But a clear weakness in his game is a lack of goals; he only found the net three times last season.
Lookman, on the other hand, has developed into a genuine goal threat. Since that painful penalty miss for Fulham years ago, he has rebuilt his career and become, as one journalist put it, “one of the best forwards in Europe.”
He was a superstar in Serie A, scoring 20 goals in 40 games last season. He is versatile, capable of playing on either wing or even through the middle as a centre-forward. And he hasn’t forgotten how to create for others either, notching ten assists the season before last.
A quick look at the numbers from this season shows the clear trade-off between the two players:
| Stat (per 90 mins) | Lookman | Savinho |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0.60 | 0.05 |
| Assists | 0.20 | 0.41 |
| Expected Assists (xA) | 0.32 | 0.31 |
| Shots | 3.24 | 2.81 |
| Key Passes | 2.44 | 2.35 |
| Successful Take-ons | 1.48 | 2.65 |
| Progressive Carries | 5.68 | 6.99 |
The data shows that Savinho is the more dynamic dribbler and is better at carrying the ball up the pitch. He also has more actual assists this season.
However, Lookman’s underlying creative numbers are just as strong, if not better he makes more key passes and has a higher expected assists rate, meaning he’s setting up teammates for high-quality chances just as often.
The gigantic, undeniable difference is in goal scoring. Lookman’s rate of 0.60 goals per 90 minutes completely dwarfs Savinho’s 0.05.
For Tottenham, the choice is about what they need most. Do they want a pure creator and dribbler, or do they want a player who offers that same creative spark but also comes with a proven, deadly eye for goal?
For a club that has had its fair share of struggles in front of the net, a player like Ademola Lookman, who can guarantee double-digit goals from a wide position, might be the smarter and more effective signing.
At around £40 million, he could turn out to be one of the bargains of the deadline day madness, a move that helps steady the rollercoaster and finally leaves that “Spursy” feeling behind.