Here’s an effective way to silence critics. Not impressed by an £85 million price tag? Deliver a goal 11 minutes after stepping onto the field. Think creativity is lacking? Add an assist just three minutes later. For a debut performance, Savio and Roberto De Zerbi left little to be desired.
“Savio brings energy, imagination, and quality to wide positions,” the Tottenham Hotspur manager remarked earlier this week. “He has the courage to challenge defenders and the talent to alter the game with his creativity.”
Among Spurs supporters, some skepticism existed, particularly over the hefty double deal with Manchester City, which also included Omar Marmoush. Was a record of two goals across 53 Premier League matches worth £85 million in flair and game-altering prowess, especially when aiming higher than another 17th-place finish?
Yet, last night, for 19 minutes, Savio showed exactly why supporters have reason to be thrilled again, illustrating why De Zerbi was keen on him. The Spurs manager prefers his wingers to remain high and wide, allowing them to pin back the defense and exploit full-backs once the defenders have navigated the press.
This strategy suits Savio perfectly. Despite certain limitations (which we’ll discuss later), he’s exceptional in one-on-one scenarios. His debut goal exemplified this strength. Confronted by Charlton full-back Nathan Asiimwe, Savio took the ball, maneuvered past Asiimwe, and scored with precision.
For 19 minutes last night, there was a player who made Spurs fans remember what it’s like to feel excited again, with flashes of exactly why Roberto De Zerbi wanted Savio
For all the noise around his £85m fee, Savio took just 11 minutes to repay a chunk of it against Charlton
Since his Premier League debut at the start of the 2024-25 season, among forwards to have played 1,500 minutes, only City team-mate Jeremy Doku (5.2) and sprinter-with-boots-on Adama Traore (2.5) complete more dribbles past an opponent per 90 minutes than Savio (2.4). Only Doku (20.6) averages more progressive carries (a dribble that moves the ball at least five metres towards goal) than Savio (13.9). The new Spurs hero managed four against Charlton.
Savio’s dribble map below shows just how frequently he takes on his man (red dots on the graphic below are failed dribbles, blue are completed). It also shows his versatility, able to play on both flanks. For City, he often cut inside when starting on the right. He’s only 22, too, remember. There is plenty of room for improvement.
After this brightest of beginnings, it will be down to whether he can sustain it. Savio shone in his early days at City, providing three assists in his opening four games and set up a hat-trick of goals against West Ham in January 2025. He frequently beat his man out wide and got his cross into the box or even carried the ball centrally before slipping in Erling Haaland through the middle.
In his first season, his eight assists from open play was bettered by only five players: Mohamed Salah (18), Jacob Murphy (11), Morgan Rogers (ten), Antonee Robinson (ten) and Son Heung-min (nine).
His influence faded last season, though, starting just seven league games in Pep Guardiola’s final campaign, scoring just once and setting up only one goal.
Spurs need goals. They scored just 48 in the Premier League last season, fewer than Leeds and the same as Nottingham Forest. Eighteen of them came from corners, making up nearly 40 per cent of all their goals, by far the highest ratio in the division. They need some magic in open play. De Zerbi hopes Savio can keep providing it.
That ability to find the net, more than anything, is what has let Savio down in the past. His record of two goals in 28 league starts has been the biggest stick with which critics are beating him.
Since his debut, that’s the same number of goals – from nine more starts – as Traore. He’s a dribbling machine, too, but won’t cost you £85million. In that time, Harry Wilson scored 16 goals and provided eight assists for Fulham and joined Leeds this summer on a free transfer.
Savinho’s dribble map shows both his fondness for taking his man on and his ability to play on both flanks
His influence faded last season, starting just seven league games in Pep Guardiola’s final campaign, scoring just once and setting up only one goal
It was the perfect start. But it was still just that. A start. For £85million, it needs to continue
| PL forwards | Shots | Goals | Conversion rate % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savio | 75 | 2 | 2.67 |
| Leon Bailey | 36 | 1 | 2.78 |
| Jack Harrison | 35 | 1 | 2.86 |
| Wilson Odobert | 35 | 1 | 2.86 |
| Adama Traore | 46 | 2 | 4.35 |
| Randal Kolo Muani | 20 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Omari Hutchinson | 70 | 4 | 5.71 |
| Alejandro Garnacho | 117 | 7 | 5.98 |
It’s not as though Savio didn’t get the chances either. From the opportunities he had, his Expected Goals (xG) figure was more than seven. Since his debut in the Premier League, he’s among the top five for largest underperformance of xG.
If you thought that was bad, his two goals came from 75 shots. Of all forwards to play 1,500 minutes in the league since Savio’s shot conversion was the lowest of them all at just 2.67 per cent. Hardly what you want for £85million.
Viktor Gyokeres, Junior Kroupi, Nick Woltemade, Igor Thiago and Chris Wood are all above 25 per cent. Haaland is around 20 per cent. Unfortunately for De Zerbi, another Spurs winger in Wilson Odobert ranked fourth-worst (and last season’s loanee Randal Kolo Muani was two spots behind).
Against Charlton, he had two shots and both of them went in, the second via a slight deflection off Ben Davies. It was the perfect start. But it was still just that. A start. For £85million, it needs to continue.