Roberto De Zerbi has warned Savio that he “must become one of Tottenham’s key players” after the club’s big-money signing from Manchester City.
The Spurs head coach insists the new arrival has “arrived at the moment” where he must prove he is “good enough”. Tottenham have signed the winger for a fee of £75million plus a further £10m in add-ons.
De Zerbi’s long-standing interest
The fee has been described as inflated by many neutrals within the game, but De Zerbi has made it clear he has valued Savio for a long time, including before he moved from Girona to City in July 2024.
De Zerbi was reminded that many of Tottenham’s signings this summer — including Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali — were regular starters at their previous clubs. The Italian was asked whether he believes Savio can become just as important at Tottenham, having rarely started for City.
Demand for responsibility
“He must,” De Zerbi insisted. “He must become one of the key players. The improvement is to become better, to take more responsibility. This is maybe not just Savio, some of the other players too.”
“In football, one day you have to show if you are good enough or not. Today, he has arrived at that moment. We are here to help him, to give him all the instructions and information he needs.”
De Zerbi added: “But in the end, he has to put his face on the pitch, like the other players. Because, it’s life. It’s our job. It is working or playing at a big club.”
