Savinho shares new name after joining Tottenham in £75m transfer deal
Savinho has asked to be called ‘Savio’ again after his big £85 million move from Manchester City to Tottenham.
During his two years at City, the Brazilian winger, whose full name is Savio Moreira de Oliveira, was known as ‘Savinho.’ That name was on the back of his No. 26 shirt for all 84 of his games there. The ‘inho’ ending is a cute way of saying ‘little’ in Portuguese.
In a chat with the club’s official website in July 2024, he shared how ‘Savinho’ started during a Brazil national team call-up in March 2024. “When I first got called up for the national team, they put ‘Savinho’ on my shirt,” he explained. “People in Girona knew me as Savinho, but it was just ‘Savio’ on the shirt there. So I asked Manchester City to put ‘Savinho’ on mine too. I hope it brings me luck!”
Now, the 22-year-old wants to go back to using ‘Savio,’ the name he had before joining City when he played for Atletico Mineiro, Troyes, PSV, and Girona. Neither Savio nor Tottenham have said why he’s switching back.
Talking about joining Spurs, Savinho said, “It took some time, but I’m really happy to be here. It’s a great chance at an amazing club with one of the best managers out there. When I spoke with the coach, I knew this was the right place. He wants to help me reach my best, and I believe we can do that together.”
Savio could play for Tottenham in their Carabao Cup game against Charlton on Wednesday. The manager, De Zerbi, described him as a player who “brings energy, creativity, and quality out wide.” He added, “He’s brave when facing defenders and can change a game with his ideas. We’re happy to have him and can’t wait to see him grow and show his personality in the team.”
Johan Lange, the club’s sporting director, said Savio has been on their radar “for a while.” He said, “He’s proven he can play at the highest level, and we think his skills and attitude will fit perfectly with the team we’re building. I know fans will get excited whenever he has the ball, and I’m looking forward to seeing him improve under Roberto’s coaching.”