Savio scored on his Tottenham Hotspur debut, needing just 11 minutes after coming on as a substitute to open the scoring against Charlton in the League Cup. Three minutes later, he set up another goal.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi praised the winger this week, saying Savio brings energy, imagination and quality in wide positions. De Zerbi said he has the courage to attack defenders and the ability to change a game with his creativity.
The £85million fee had drawn scepticism among some Tottenham supporters, given Savio managed just two goals in 53 Premier League appearances for Manchester City. His arrival came amid a busy summer of spending at Tottenham that also included a double deal for a pair of Manchester City players and the signing of Omar Marmoush.
His debut goal came from a one-on-one situation. With the ball at his feet and only Charlton full-back Nathan Asiimwe ahead of him, Savio drove at Asiimwe, cut inside past him, and fired home.
One-on-one threat
De Zerbi likes his wingers to stay high and wide, so that when his defenders have baited and broken the opposition's press, his wide players can pin opponents back and isolate the full-backs. That is where Savio is at his best.
Since his Premier League debut at the start of the 2024-25 season, among forwards to have played 1,500 minutes, only his former Manchester City team-mate Jeremy Doku (5.2 per 90) and Adama Traore (2.5) complete more dribbles past an opponent than Savio (2.4). Only Doku (20.6) averages more progressive carries, dribbles that move the ball at least five metres towards goal, than Savio (13.9). He managed four such carries against Charlton alone.
His dribble map shows both his fondness for taking on opponents and his versatility, able to play on either flank. At City he often cut inside when starting on the right. He is only 22, meaning there is still room for improvement.
Rise and fall at Manchester City
Savio shone in his early days at City, providing three assists in his opening four games and setting up a hat-trick of goals against West Ham in January 2025. He frequently beat his man out wide to deliver crosses, or carried the ball centrally before slipping in Erling Haaland.
In his first season, his eight assists from open play were bettered by only five players in the league: Mohamed Salah (18), Jacob Murphy (11), Morgan Rogers (ten), Antonee Robinson (ten) and Son Heung-min (nine).
His influence faded last season, when he started just seven league games in Pep Guardiola's final campaign at the club, scoring once and setting up one further goal.
Spurs' goal problem
Tottenham scored just 48 Premier League goals last season, fewer than Leeds United and the same as Nottingham Forest. Eighteen of those, nearly 40 per cent of the total and by far the highest ratio in the division, came from corners. De Zerbi hopes Savio can help supply more from open play.
The conversion problem
Savio's record of two goals in 28 league starts has been the biggest criticism levelled at him. Since his debut, that is the same number of goals as Traore, but from nine fewer starts for the Spaniard. In the same period, Harry Wilson scored 16 goals and provided eight assists for Fulham before joining Leeds this summer on a free transfer.
Among forwards to have played 1,500 minutes in the Premier League over the last two seasons, Savio's shot conversion rate was the worst of all, with two goals from 75 shots, a rate of 2.67 per cent. The next-worst were:
- Leon Bailey: 36 shots, 1 goal, 2.78%
- Jack Harrison: 35 shots, 1 goal, 2.86%
- Wilson Odobert: 35 shots, 1 goal, 2.86%
- Adama Traore: 46 shots, 2 goals, 4.35%
- Randal Kolo Muani: 20 shots, 1 goal, 5.00%
- Omari Hutchinson: 70 shots, 4 goals, 5.71%
- Alejandro Garnacho: 117 shots, 7 goals, 5.98%
It was not for a lack of chances. Savio's expected goals figure from those opportunities was more than seven, and since his debut he ranks among the top five forwards for the largest underperformance against his expected goals total.
Viktor Gyokeres, Junior Kroupi, Nick Woltemade, Igor Thiago and Chris Wood all convert above 25 per cent of their shots, and Haaland is around 20 per cent. Fellow Tottenham winger Wilson Odobert ranked fourth-worst for conversion, with last season's loanee Randal Kolo Muani two places further back.
Against Charlton, Savio had two shots, and both went in, the second via a slight deflection off Ben Davies. It was the perfect start. For an £85million fee, it needs to continue.
