Manchester City appear to be signing a very exciting and talented winger who has already been given the nod of approval by Barcelona legend Deco.
The January transfer window, as it tends to do, went by without much event for City with the only move of immediate importance being Kalvin Phillips’ loan switch to West Ham United for the rest of the season.
But the upcoming summer window is already starting to heat up this week with several reports stating the European champions are closing in on signing exciting winger Savio.
The 19-year-old has lit up La Liga this season at sister club Girona – his seven goals and seven assists spearheading an unlikely title tilt – but he is actually owned by another City sister club in French side Troyes.
Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: “Manchester City agree deal to sign Sávio from parent club Girona in the summer. Documents to be signed in the next days. Despite bids from German and English clubs, Sávio will join #MCFC.
“He’s now 100% focused on Girona to end the season in the best way.”
According to Spanish outlet Sport, City have moved to secure Savio this summer after his performances in Spain caught the eyes of Barcelona and other top European clubs like Bayer Leverkusen.
In fact, Barcelona’s sporting director Deco has previously gone on the record with his admiration of Savio.
What Deco said of Savio in 2023
“Spanish football likes this type of player with dribbling ability,” Deco told the Esporte Espetacular TV show, as quoted by Sport, in December 2023.
“In Spain, people love having the opportunity to watch beautiful football, with players of technical quality, and Savio fits into this historical profile that Spanish football has always had.
“He is at the beginning of his career and is attracting attention, he is a young player who has a lot of future. If he continues in this line of growth he will be very successful in Spain.”
How Savio could fit in at City
It certainly sounds like Savio would fit right in at City going off Deco’s sky high praise of the teenage starlet. Especially after a shift in tactics by Pep Guardiola over the past year.
For years, the Blues boss had tended to exclusively play central attacking players or inverted wingers on the flanks. The likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish or Bernardo Silva were deployed out wide under the instruction to then cut inside to create space for the full-backs and more passing lanes in central areas.
However, that has started to change this season with the signing of Jeremy Doku, a more traditional winger who has been given free rein to dribble past players, get into wide positions and deliver balls into the box.
Savio appears to be of a similar mould and loves carrying the ball at his feet. With 62, no one has completed more dribbles in La Liga this season than the Brazilian.
It remains to be seen if Savio will stay with the first team or head straight back out on loan after completing his move but when he does arrive at the Etihad it looks like it will be a match made in heaven.
