- Savinho’s Man City future remains uncertain
- Tottenham have been linked with another move
- Enzo Maresca could now have a key say
Savinho’s Manchester City future could become one of the more interesting transfer situations of the summer as the club prepare for a new era under Enzo Maresca.
City are heading into a major period of change after Pep Guardiola’s exit. That naturally means several players could now face fresh assessments, especially with Enzo Maresca set to bring his own view of the squad.
Likewise, Savinho remains one of the players whose situation may be worth watching closely. The Brazilian arrived at City with clear long-term promise after an impressive spell at Girona.
However, his future at the Etihad has already become uncertain. With Tottenham still linked with the winger, the Sky Blues may now have a significant decision to make.
Man City make Savinho stance clear
According to Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, City are weighing up Savinho’s value and potential.
The FA Cup winners are in a particularly awkward situation with the Brazilian being open to leaving last year and this summer.
“The criteria is the same as with any player really: weighing up how valuable he is and could be at City versus the money in selling and replacing him, bearing in mind how much he may or may not want to leave”, Bajkowski told the Manchester Evening News.
He added: “Hugo Viana appears to be more willing to move players on than previous sporting director Txiki Begiristain was, so that increases the likelihood of a deal.”
Savinho sale would carry obvious risk
One goal and one assist in the Premier League is not enough for a player trying to force his way into City’s attack.
However, the lack of rhythm can be used as a counterargument against the Brazilian’s numbers. Savinho hasn’t had the kind of consistent run that usually allows young players to sharpen their final-third decisions.
This makes the sale risky as City would be selling future output if the player is offered enough minutes. A strong offer may still tempt the Carabao Cup winners, particularly if Maresca doesn’t see him as a regular starter.
Maresca call may reveal City’s wider direction
Maresca’s view of Savinho could say plenty about how City want their attack to look next season. The Brazilian is not a like-for-like fit for every possession-heavy system.
However, the Brazilian does offer traits Maresca has used before. At Chelsea, the Italian manager used wide players to stretch the pitch and give the team a direct route once central overloads had drawn opponents inside.
This could suit Savinho if City want more natural width and one-v-one threat in the final third. However, the 22-year-old would also need to make better decisions up front instead of only using his dribbling.
Keeping the winger would suggest Maresca believes City can still turn his raw threat into a more reliable weapon.
On the contrary, selling him would suggest that the club are prioritising immediate certainty over long-term upside.
