Pep Guardiola would like to keep Tottenham target Savinho for ‘many years’

Pep Guardiola insisted he wants to keep Savinho at Manchester City for “many years” to come amid speculation linking the Brazil forward with Tottenham, but reiterated he would not stop players who wanted to leave exiting the club.

The PA news agency understand Spurs opened talks with City over a deal for Savinho earlier this week as they seek a replacement for the departed Son Heung-min and the injured James Maddison.

Savinho made 48 appearances for City in his debut campaign after joining last summer, scoring three goals and adding 13 assists from a wide position, and although he has been criticised for a lack of end product Guardiola sounded keen to keep the 21-year-old.

“I don’t know,” Guardiola said when asked if Savinho would stay. “Tottenham in that case or any other club who wants a player should call the club.

“I am only concerned right now that Savinho will be with us for the rest of the season and hopefully many, many years because at 21 years old, with the potential he has, he plays a lot of minutes. He has to improve in the final decisions but he is an extraordinary player.

“Otherwise he would not have played more than 3,000 minutes last season.

“But in the end the desire of the players is above everything. Then they have to find an agreement with the club. If they don’t make an agreement, the player will be here because the club spent money on that player.”

Guardiola said neither Savinho nor Ederson, the Brazil goalkeeper strongly linked with a move to Turkey, had told him they want to leave City.

“If they want to leave, they will come to me,” he said. “If they want to leave, they will knock on my door.”Guardiola said Savinho will miss Saturday’s Premier League opener away to Wolves with an injury sustained