Tottenham's New Era with Savio and De Zerbi
Gordon Strachan has seen enough of Roberto De Zerbi to make one thing clear: Tottenham’s brush with disaster cannot happen again.
Spurs only just clung to their Premier League status on the final day of the 2025/26 season, a year after lifting the Europa League. From European glory to the brink of the Championship in 12 months – it scarred the club.
Strachan doesn’t expect a sequel.
Speaking to Betway, the former Scotland boss drew a striking line between De Zerbi and Sir Alex Ferguson, a comparison that will make ears prick up in north London. Not because of trophies yet, but because of temperament.
“I can’t see Spurs doing that again, I really can’t,” Strachan said. “Not after spending that type of money, and not with the manager they’ve got, who's permanently angry – which is good.
“It’s like Sir Alex, he was permanently angry, as long as he's [Roberto De Zerbi] got that drive to scare people into winning games of football and not getting beat.
“When I played with Sir Alex, it was not the fact that you had to win, you were just so scared of getting beat. So I think that's what De Zerbi does to these teams a little bit.”
Fear as fuel. De Zerbi’s edge is already being cast as Tottenham’s new backbone.
Savio arrives to light up the rebuild
Into that demanding environment walks Savio, the Brazilian winger unveiled as Spurs’ latest marquee signing and instantly embraced by a fanbase desperate for a new hero.
The numbers are hefty: an initial £75 million fee, plus £10m in add-ons, to prise him from Manchester City. For a club still shaking off the trauma of a relegation scrap, it is a statement that they intend to attack their way out of the gloom.
The reaction online was immediate and noisy. One supporter wrote: “Welcome lad we've been waiting for you. Time to build a legacy here in Spurs and the Premier League.”
Another pushed the narrative of a carefully sculpted talent: “From shining at Girona to learning under Pep, and now cooked up by Roberto De Zerbi? Absolute masterclass signing. Savio is going to transform this attack entirely. Premier League isn't ready for this flair!”
Expectation, then, is sky-high before he has even kicked a ball in white.
He might not have to wait long. With the deal confirmed today, De Zerbi can register Savio in time for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Charlton Athletic. The deadline for new players to be eligible for the game was midday, and Tottenham beat the clock.
Savio is available. Now it’s over to De Zerbi to decide how quickly to unleash him.
Lange’s long chase and De Zerbi’s perfect fit
Inside the club, this is no impulse buy. Sporting director Johan Lange made it clear this move has been months, not days, in the making.
“Savio is someone who has been on our radar for a while and I'm delighted that he is now a Tottenham Hotspur player,” Lange said.
“He has already shown his quality at the highest level, and we believe his ability, style and mentality will be a great fit for the squad we are building here.
“I know he will excite our supporters every time he gets on the ball and I'm looking forward to watching his development under Roberto's coaching.”
De Zerbi, never shy about demanding bravery from his wide players, sounds equally convinced he has the right profile for his system.
“Sávio is a player who brings energy, imagination and quality in wide positions,” the head coach said. “He has the courage to attack defenders and the ability to change a game with his creativity. We’re very pleased to have him with us, and I’m looking forward to working with him, helping him continue to grow and seeing him bring his personality to the team.”
Energy. Imagination. Courage. All words that point in the same direction: De Zerbi expects Savio to be a protagonist, not a passenger.
Savio’s choice and a familiar name on the back
For Savio himself, the move feels like the next leap in a carefully plotted career.
“It's taken a while but I'm very happy to be here,” he said after the deal was announced. “It's a wonderful opportunity at a brilliant club with one of the best managers in the world.
“As soon as I spoke to the Head Coach I knew I had to come. He told me he wants to help me reach the highest level, and I believe we can do that together, as a team.”
That conversation clearly hit its mark. In a squad being reshaped around De Zerbi’s intensity, Savio sees a coach who can stretch his game and a club willing to trust him with responsibility.
He will wear the No. 17 shirt at Tottenham, a number recently vacated by Cristian Romero, who left for Atletico Madrid just 10 days ago. It’s a fresh start wrapped in a familiar identity.
The 22-year-old has also reverted to the name that first made him a talking point in Spain. At Girona, he wore “Savio” on his back. At City and with the Brazil national team, he went by “Savinho”. Now, in north London, he has gone back to “Savio”.
A small detail, but it fits the narrative: a player returning to his roots as he steps into the biggest stage of his club career.
Transfer clock still ticking
While Savio’s arrival is done and dusted, Tottenham’s wider rebuild remains in motion. Talks with Manchester City over Marmoush are ongoing, with no agreement yet in place.
Time is slipping away on that front, and the squad still needs depth and balance after the chaos of last season. De Zerbi has his winger, but not yet his full hand.
For now, though, the mood around Spurs feels different. A club that flirted with catastrophe is spending big, hiring hard-edged leadership and betting on a winger whose flair is matched by his ambition.
Strachan’s verdict hangs over it all: a “permanently angry” manager, a scared-to-lose dressing room, and a £85m talent ready to run at defenders.
If Tottenham are serious about erasing the memory of that final-day escape, this is exactly the kind of fear and fire they will need.
