Savio hints at what he can add to Man City side with Brazil cameo

Manchester City are expected to complete the signing of Savio this summer from City Football Group sister club Troyes.

Despite the crackdown on deals involving clubs owned by the same group, the Brazilian winger is set to join the Blues for a price that is deemed to be fair market value. And if he impresses Pep Guardiola, there is a good chance that the 20-year-old can stick around in the first-team squad at the Etihad rather than head out on loan.

Savio will be an interesting addition because, just like Jeremy Doku, he is a departure from the forwards that Pep Guardiola has preferred in recent years. City moved away from the direct, pacy running of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling towards the control that Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish can offer, yet Doku and Savio are both steps in the other direction.

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Savio actually completed more dribbles than both Doku and Sane last season, with Mohammed Kudus the only player in the top five leagues to manage more than his 102; he also chipped in with nine goals and nine assists to help Girona qualify for the Champions League. Even if he can't expect the same amount of game time at the Etihad, the potential is there and his performances earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad for the Copa America.

Brazil's first game was against Costa Rica, who defended for their lives in a low block to try to survive as their coach compared them to Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense. Savio came off the bench for Vinicius Jr to try and break the deadlock, and while he couldn't manage it his 20 minutes did contain six successful dribbles and seven duels won.

More interesting from a City perspective is that the performance came off the right wing. Savio predominantly played on the left for Girona but will find that area of the pitch stacked with talent at City as Phil Foden, Doku, and Jack Grealish can all operate there.

However, there aren't really many options on the right; Doku was intended to play there and his debut came on the right, but he quickly preferred the left and that is where he thrived in his debut season at the Etihad. Foden has occasionally played there and Bernardo has too, although it has also been common for Kyle Walker to be given that whole flank.

It feels like if Savio is to convince City that he should be kept around the first team next season, his best chance of doing so is on the right cutting in on his left foot to complement a teammate doing the same on the other side of the pitch. There are of course times when it would make more sense to play natural wingers rather than invert them but if Savio is looking for a space in the spot the real opportunities are on the right.