Manchester City are in pole position to sign Brazil’s latest teenage wonderkid Savio and stand to get a massive £20million discount on him, according to reports. The 19-year-old winger is impressing on loan at current La Liga leaders Girona from Ligue 2 team Troyes.
In the battle to sign Savio, the Brazil under-20 international, City have a major edge because Girona and Troyes are owned by the English club’s City Football Group. And according to the Daily Star, the Premier League champions could snatch the South American for as little as £10m this summer.
It is claimed that any other clubs looking to sign Savio, who has five goals and six assists in 20 matches this season, will have to pay £30m to sign the teenager. Among those interested are Real Madrid and the Star say the Spanish giants had been optimistic about doing a deal for a player they hoped might become a superstar at the Bernabeu.
Savio has already revealed he’d love to play for City. He told Premier League Brasil: “I have the goal of playing for Manchester City and I’m working towards that but I have to keep my focus on Girona and do things well to get there.
“I want to continue working here so that one day I can reach City, which is my reference point.” And world champions City therefore have a clear path to a bargain deal for Savio, who is under contract at Troyes until 2027.
The player could be a long-term solution on the right wing where Bernardo Silva is currently the first choice. Also in that mix of wide attacking talent is the emersion of 20-year-old Oscar Bobb.
The Norwegian, who also plays from the right, bagged his first Premier League goal in added time to secure a late win over Newcastle last weekend. Guardiola has a good track record of nurturing and developing young players, one which Savio admires.
He said: “(Guardiola and I) never had any contact, I only saw him up close. He hired Kayky, who was from Fluminense and Gabriel Jesus, so he seems to get along well with Brazilians.
“It’s letting things happen naturally so that, God willing, one day, he can train me.” A Brazilian emerging from the City Football Group is no accident. Douglas Luiz, now thriving at Aston Villa, was identified by City before spending time on loan at Girona to develop.
Metinho is another youth prospect, just one year older than Savio, currently trying to prove himself out on loan from Troyes at Sparta Rotterdam after being signed in the summer of 2021. While Savio’s Girona team-mate Yan Couto was signed by City from Brazilian club Coritiba in 2020 and is on his second loan spell with the Spanish side.
