Tottenham's pursuit of Savinho has become one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the summer, but the north London club now appear closer than ever to landing one of Roberto De Zerbi's priority targets.

Spurs first tried to sign the Brazilian winger last summer after identifying him as the ideal player to add pace and creativity to their attack

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City refused to sanction a sale despite Tottenham's willingness to pay more than £60 million, believing Savinho still had an important role to play, but the Lilywhites didn't abandon their interest.

They returned during the January window, but City again resisted any possibility of a deal.

Since De Zerbi took charge, Savinho has remained one of the club's leading attacking targets, with discussions between the clubs continuing throughout the summer.

Fabrizio Romano has also reported that direct talks have been ongoing for weeks while City decide whether they can afford to let the winger leave.

Savinho's situation changed after a frustrating 25/26 campaign. The Brazil international made 36 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing two assists, but he struggled for regular starts in one of Europe's deepest squads.

Competition from Jérémy Doku, Phil Foden and January arrival Antoine Semenyo limited his opportunities, leaving the 22-year-old searching for the consistent minutes that helped him flourish earlier in his career.

Before joining City, Savinho had been one of La Liga's standout young attackers during Girona's remarkable title-challenging campaign.

His pace, close control and ability to beat defenders earned widespread praise as he helped the Spanish side qualify for the Champions League, convincing City to invest heavily in his potential.

Although he has shown flashes of that quality in Manchester, regular football has proved difficult to find. Tottenham clearly believe De Zerbi could help unlock that version of Savinho once again, but they now face competition from AC Milan.

Tottenham beating AC Milan to Savinho with advanced talks ongoing

According to The Sun, Tottenham are now in advanced negotiations with City over a deal worth around £60 million.

The report states Spurs have moved ahead of Milan in the race after spending weeks negotiating with City. Milan remain interested but are preparing a different proposal, with the Serie A giants hoping a loan deal containing an obligation to buy worth between £42 million and £45 million could tempt City into negotiations.

City, however, are thought to favour a straightforward permanent sale.

They have yet to receive a formal offer from either club and are also expected to secure attacking reinforcements before giving Savinho permission to leave.

That has been the main reason negotiations have taken so long, despite Tottenham's continued confidence that an agreement can eventually be reached.

For Spurs, patience may finally be paying off. After tracking Savinho for almost a year, they remain firmly in pole position to complete one of the marquee signings of De Zerbi's rebuild.

Milan's late interest has complicated matters, but Tottenham's willingness to commit to a permanent transfer continues to give them an important advantage as talks move towards their conclusion.