Tottenham Target Five New Stars After Missing Out on Savinho Deal
Following reports that they failed to secure Manchester City's Savinho, Tottenham Hotspur have broadened their hunt for offensive reinforcements, which remains a "top priority" ahead of the transfer window's closure.
Spurs parted ways with club skipper Son Heung-min to LAFC during the summer window, creating a significant creative void that was further amplified by James Maddison's season-ending injury. These two departures represented Tottenham's primary assist providers from the previous campaign, driving the club to pursue multiple attack-minded talents.
A move for Savinho appears increasingly doubtful. Reports suggest City would only consider releasing their Brazilian wide player if they believed they could attract Rodrygo from Real Madrid. This chain of transfers never seemed realistic, and ESPN reports that Spurs have accepted this setback. Nevertheless, their pursuit of attacking reinforcements continues actively.
The same publication links Tottenham with interest in up to five different targets: Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche, West Ham United's Lucas Paquetá, RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons, Marseille's unwanted Adrien Rabiot, and Leicester City's creative midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.
El Khannouss stands as the youngest option at 21 and has been heavily connected with a switch to Crystal Palace as Eberechi Eze's successor—another player Spurs pursued before Arsenal secured the transfer. Akliouche is two years his senior but lacks the Premier League familiarity that El Khannouss possesses, having memorably netted the decisive goal in a 2–1 triumph at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last January.
Paquetá brings extensive knowledge of England's elite division following three seasons in east London with West Ham United, while expectations had been building that Simons would eventually make his Premier League debut. Chelsea have maintained long-standing interest in the Dutch playmaker but seem focused on pursuing Manchester United outcast Alejandro Garnacho and Barcelona's promising talent Fermín López.
Rabiot represents the most surprising name among these diverse candidates. The ex-Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus central midfielder has been openly listed for transfer by Marseille following an altercation with teammate Jonathan Rowe, which Roberto De Zerbi characterized as resembling a "bar fight."