Man City star misses training as Tottenham close in on massive £60m transfer agreement

Enzo Maresca’s preparations for the upcoming Community Shield clash against Arsenal took an unexpected hit as Savinho sat out the latest session. Man City are readying themselves for the traditional curtain-raiser at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, but they may have to do so without the 22-year-old. According to The Athletic's Sam Lee, the Brazilian sat out training due to illness.

While the winger was missing, other key figures were present at the City Football Academy. Jack Grealish was involved as he seeks to make his first appearance for the club in over a year following his injury struggles. He was joined by Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and January arrival Marc Guehi, all of whom are vying for a starting spot in the showdown against the Gunners this weekend.

The timing of Savinho's absence is particularly intriguing given the intense interest from north London. Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly on the verge of landing his primary attacking target, with Tottenham nearing a full agreement for the £60 million-rated star.

Spurs have been remarkably active in the transfer market as they look to climb back toward the top end of the table following back-to-back 17th-place Premier League finishes. Having already overhauled their squad with key midfield and defensive reinforcements, their focus has now firmly shifted toward bolstering the final third.

The recruitment strategy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been aggressive this summer. Spurs spent the first half of the window bringing in new bodies at the back as they signed Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke. They followed up that defensive overhaul with a massive statement in the middle of the park, shelling out a combined £185 million to secure the midfield duo of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

To facilitate further arrivals like Savinho, the club is preparing for several high-profile departures. Cristian Romero is on the cusp of a move to Atletico Madrid, while full-back Djed Spence is set to secure a switch to Inter. These exits are expected to provide the necessary financial headroom for Spurs to test City’s resolve, though the Etihad hierarchy may be reluctant to sell to a direct rival without a replacement in mind.

If a deal for Savinho proves too difficult to strike, Spurs have identified other elite options, including Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo. The Dutch international is highly admired at Hotspur Way, though a deal for the former PSV man appears significantly more complicated. Journalist Ben Jacobs recently shed light on the situation, suggesting that Liverpool are reluctant to part with the versatile attacker unless they can secure multiple replacements first.

With the transfer deadline approaching, Tottenham have one last box to tick. Whether De Zerbi secures Savinho or pivots to Gakpo, Spurs are set on completing their attacking rebuild before the window closes.

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