- Savinho linked with Man City exit
- Set to join Tottenham Hotspur
- Former player criticises deal
Savinho is likely to leave Manchester City for Spurs this summer, but one former Premier League star doubts whether he has what it takes to remain in England.
The summer transfer window is nearly upon us, and Savinho is already moving close to sealing his Man City exit.
Tottenham are preparing a bid of around £60m for the Brazilian, which could be received in the coming days
However, an ex-Scotland international has cast doubt over whether Savinho is good enough to keep playing in the Premier League.
Craig Burley confused by Tottenham’s Savinho interest
According to Craig Burley, Savinho has not matched the levels he showed at Girona since joining Man City.
He has taken aim at the 22 year old’s lack of consistency, and questioned his ability to play in the Premier League.
“He was [so good at Girona],” Burley told ESPN. “This is the worry for me in terms of Spurs. He’s a talented player, there’s no doubt about it, but he’s yet to prove in England that he’s not lightweight – he can’t be pushed off the ball, that he’s not been bullied.
“Yes he’s got great feet and he’s got scale, but he’s yet to prove that in England. He did it in Spain, that’s fine. But he certainly didn’t do it regularly at Man City.
“It’s not the easiest team to get into, but when he had his opportunities, it was very inconsistent. So if you’re asking me ‘is it good business for Spurs?’, I’ve no idea!
“Because I think in the Premier League thus far, Savinho’s a bit of an unknown, in terms of getting the consistency level of what we saw at Girona,” he continued.
“So whether it’s a [Roberto] De Zerbi call or not, I don’t know, but it certainly wasn’t working for him at Man City.”
Burley should recognise where Tottenham are
When comparing Man City with Tottenham, it is important to consider where both teams are in terms of their ambitions.
Spurs just about managed to survive relegation from the Premier League, while Man City were a few points shy of winning it.
Making it at City is much harder to do, while Tottenham currently have few available attacking options out wide.
Therefore, Savinho could prove to be a very useful signing, especially with the time he has to improve.
Savinho has not been a disaster for Man City
While Savinho has not been able to replicate his form in Spain at City, he hit double digits for assists last season.
And during the campaign which has just gone, the youngster improved a bit in front of goal, but was ultimately given a limited number of opportunities.
He may not be at the level required to make it at Man City, but he certainly has a chance to do well at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
