Spurs agree personal terms to sign £50m star

What a start to the summer window this has been for Tottenham Hotspur. It was about time some positivity was injected into the proceedings, right?

Although Spurs survived by the skin of their teeth, 2026 proved to be one of the worst years in the club’s history so far.

They have had three different managers this year, such as Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and Roberto De Zerbi, they have suffered incredible injuries and are facing a relegation battle.

However, the second half of the year promises to be better with Andy Robertson already a confirmed arrival and defender Marcos Senesi set to sign a contract in the coming weeks.

They are not the only defensive purchases on Tottenham’s radar. Brighton player, Jan Paul van Hecke, is reportedly on the verge of retirement.

Two Premier League stars close to signing for Spurs

Following the arrival of Senesi and Robertson on free transfers from Bournemouth and Liverpool respectively, significant progress has been made towards signing Van Hecke.

The Lilywhites saw their bid for the defender rejected last week but are expected to be successful in negotiations.

Reports on Sunday indicated that personal terms had been agreed with the Dutchman and that the deal was in the final stages. All that remains is to agree a fee with Spurs who will present a £45m plus £5m bid for add-ons.

With Cristian Romero about to leave this would be an amazing acquisition. From having the worst defense in the league they could go on to have one of the best players if De Zerbi can get Van Hecke, Senesi and Micky van de Ven on track.

As it happens, Spurs are also in advanced talks to sign another Premier League talent. That is Savinho of Manchester City.

The North Londoners kept a close eye on the Brazilian last summer but were unable to finalize a move. However, the year goes on, and it looks like Tottenham will finally find their man.

Savinho is reportedly keen to leave and according to new reports, he has now agreed a five-year contract.

Priced at £50m, City are right to sell the Brazilian this time around and Spurs look like his most likely destination. Reports from the continent suggest that an agreement has been reached with Savinho personally over a deal to move to Tottenham.

Why Savinho could be Tottenham’s new Xavi Simons

Can you blame the recruiting team for wanting to do more business early on? Not really. Last summer turned out to be a funny one and in fact, it set the tone for what was to come in 2025/26.

It all started with Morgan Gibbs-White. Spurs were confident of signing the England attacking midfielder but Evangelos Marinakis stepped in, stalled the deal and managed to tie him down to a new contract at Nottingham Forest.

Then there was Eberechi Eze’s debate. Tottenham regained confidence but then Arsenal presented a bid at the 11th hour and he was not going to say no to his boyhood club. In the end, they ended up with Xavi Simons, but he didn’t initially choose.

Therefore, the Lilywhites are determined to complete the deals quickly before they are struck again.

That has accelerated Van Hecke, and Savinho who faces some doubts. Still 22, the Man City midfielder still has plenty of potential left to unleash but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he has only played one season for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Now, the striker has only started seven Premier League games but even so, you can expect better from a player who can change a game in the final third.

Last season, Simons may have played most of the football at number 10 – playing 17 times in that position – but it was on the left side that De Zerbi preferred before this brutal ACL tear.

In those games, the Dutch star stood out, scoring a goal and an assist for Brighton and scoring a goal. That afternoon was perhaps his best color for Spurs and he suggests he could be an option for the team on the left when he returns from injury.

On the right, they can sign a player with a similar situation in Savinho. Like Simons, he is a tricky customer and has a special wit. In 2024/25 he produced 13 assists in all competitions and ranked second to Kevin De Bruyne in key passes per game (1.6) for City in the league.

For context, Xavi managed 1.2 in his first campaign in England and 1.4 in his final season with Germany’s RB Leipzig.

Both players are very good carriers. They are very productive and defensive in tight spaces, often leaving defenders with no answer as to how to set them up.

The two forwards are the most improving players and Savinho has registered the most successful dribbles of 1.86 and the most continuous players of 7.45 per 90. Simons is lagging behind but his numbers are testament to a player always looking to make a difference.

The Dutch playmakers accumulated 1.43 successful dribbles per 90 and 3.38 successful dribbles per 90.

Nifty, fleet-footed and dangerous in the final third, Spurs could do a lot worse than signing the Brazilian striker this summer. Simons may be undersized but the way the duo creates chaos, on opposite sides of the field makes them very similar. Can you picture Simons on the left and Savinho on the right? The Premier League is better protected.