There were those of a Tottenham Hotspur persuasion fearing the worst this week, with the online detectives having spotted the curious absence of Mateus Fernandes from pre-season training.

As is ever the way on social media, things swiftly spiralled to the point at which some were even claiming that the Portuguese had sustained an ACL blow, the latest in a run of dismal injury luck for the north Londoners.

Thankfully, as relayed by the likes of football.london's Alasdair Gold, those claims appear to be completely 'unfounded', with the £85m man merely rested for the latest clash with Sydney FC.

Roberto De Zerbi is carefully managing the youngster's minutes, and there's good reason for that, with the early indications suggesting that Fernandes could have a vital role to play heading into next season.

How Fernandes has performed in pre-season so far

Fans, pundits and fantasy team managers should never read too much into pre-season form, but it's hard not to have been impressed by Fernandes' early outings in a Tottenham shirt.

Indeed, the ex-West Ham United man got off to the best possible start following his sumptuous volley in the opening exchanges against MK Dons, having plucked the ball out of the sky in exquisite style.

That effort ultimately proved the winner for the Lilywhites, with Fernandes making a strong initial impression, even if his first-half efforts were somewhat overshadowed by the teenage brilliance of Luca Williams-Barnett after the break.

As for the subsequent 2-0 win over Auckland FC, Fernandes only entered the fray on the hour mark in place of the impressive Archie Gray, yet it was again a standout showing from the 22-year-old.

Much like his outing against MK Dons, in which he boasted an 89% pass accuracy rate, the former Sporting CP playmaker kept it neat and tidy in midfield, averaging an 88% pass completion rate across his 28-minute outing.

Fresh from a campaign at the London Stadium in which he scored and assisted seven Premier League goals, the hope will be that under the tutelage of De Zerbi, Fernandes can go to a whole new level next season.

As his first two friendly appearances have showcased, the midfielder really is a sparkling talent, although that's not to say an even bigger coup couldn't be on the cards too this summer.

Spurs confident of signing a bigger talent than Fernandes

While pre-season can often be viewed as a chore or quieter period for clubs, there is a genuine buzz around Spurs right now, not least due to the ability to see De Zerbi's new men in action.

The business completed so far, with six signings in the door, can't be quibbled with, although there is a nagging sense that the Lilywhites have been left a little light in attack, particularly with injury still a pertinent issue.

Well, as noted by TEAMtalk, there is a feeling that the club will be able to wrap up a deal for Manchester City's Savinho, even if that move has stalled somewhat as the Etihad side seek a replacement.

Spurs are said to have set a deadline of 1 August for an agreement to be reached, or they will move on to other targets, albeit with the player himself pushing for the move.

The report outlined that personal terms were already agreed as far back as January, hence why there is 'confidence' that the Brazilian will be a Tottenham player at some stage this summer.

Still just 22, like Fernandes, Savinho no doubt endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign, having scored and assisted just two goals for the Citizens in the Premier League.

And yet, the year prior, the fleet-footed winger had enjoyed a creditable first season at the Etihad, scoring once and registering eight assists in the top flight.

That form showcased that the left-footer can make the difference at the truly elite level and for an elite club, while Fernandes is still somewhat of an unknown quantity after suffering successive relegations with Southampton and West Ham.

It's also worth looking at what the pair achieved in 2023/24, amid their time in Spain and Portugal, respectively.

In Savinho's case, the South American was immense in a high-flying Girona side, scoring and assisting 19 goals, creating 14 'big chances' and leading the way in LaLiga in terms of total successful dribbles completed, ahead of the likes of Vinicius Jr and Lamine Yamal, no less.

As for Fernandes, the youngster had been sent out on loan to Estoril by Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, scoring and assisting just three goals that season from 29 Liga Portugal outings.

Of course, it may be somewhat unfair to compare the two considering Fernandes has operated as a deep-lying number eight in recent times, but it's worth noting the greater heights Savinho has already reached at the same age.

The latter man hasn't quite recaptured that Girona groove at Premier League level, but there is a sense that he is just waiting to explode, with pundit Paul Merson previously making the exciting comparison between the City star and the aforementioned Yamal.

That likeness certainly bodes well for what Spurs can expect from Savinho, and for all the excitement surrounding Fernandes, it might actually be the £60m-rated Savinho who makes the bigger splash at N17.