Incredible talent and exciting signing but before we get into the player let’s make sure we have his name right! Now Sávio Moreira de Oliveira is his full name but due to some complications with the national team and the love he got from the fans of Girona he’s changed the name on the back of his shirt to Savinho.

So for the rest of the newsletter I’ll refer to him as Savinho whilst most of the graphics will include his name as Sávio. 😅

Born in São Mateus (2004), the Brazilian made his way through he youth academy of Atletico Mineiro and eventually made his way into the senior team in 2020. Making 35 appearances before getting his move to Troyes (2022) and joining the City Football Group.

For the 22/23 season Savinho went out on loan to PSV with the feeling that Ligue 1 would be too big of a jump for him after arriving from Brazil. That loan was hampered with a hamstring injury, only making six appearances off the bench. On his return Troyes had been relegated to Ligue 2 so the level was then below what his ideal next step would be. Next up was Girona.

Making it to Manchester City was a key reason behind his move to the City Football Group. When Pep Guardiola arrived at the club Savinho would have been 12 years old in the Atletico Mineiro academy. Playing video games in his spare time…

How Does Savinho Play Football?

Savinho has taken up the #26 shirt, the number worn by Riyad Mahrez and a player that has inspired him.

At Girona he’s been a key part of their season, achieving Champions League football under Míchel, with how the team is setup tactically to get the best out of him isolated on the left wing. This is how high Míchel rates Savinho.

If you want to learn more about the tactical setup of Girona then checkout one of our previous newsletters linked below.

Profile

Savinho has been outstanding for Girona last season and has been one of the stars in La Liga. A technical dribbler that can easily go past defenders through his skills and flicks, now that’s something every team needs and Savinho ticks that box. Beyond his ability to be explosive and direct is just how creative he is. This is what sets him apart almost like having a midfielder on the wing. 😉 

Prior to Girona he was deployed as a right winger that could cut inside to his left foot which opened up angles for his ball striking and deliveries into the box. To interchange with central players, drive into middle to create space and look for the smart passes to those making runs.

At Girona he’s played mostly as a left winger which has limited his shooting angles and volume but it hasn’t shifted his desire to be creative and be the selfless attacker in the final third. A trait that will suit well with the likes of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden who are prepared to shoot in an instance and make runs all game long.

In the final third looking for the final pass, Savinho has shown throughout this season with Girona he can find his teammate with the right timing and weight of pass. Great composure and consistency inside the box. His floated crosses to the back post are the best example of that.

His shot volume is low on the left wing which needs to improve and likely it does if he plays for City on the right. He isn’t as comfortable on his right foot which doesn’t help him be unpredictable despite how good his left foot is.

Very technical ability, keeping the ball tight to his feet. Reads the defenders and anticipates well which helps him in 1v1 situations along with his low center of gravity and change of pace.

His involvement in the buildup is something to watch given that Girona didn’t utilize him a lot but at City than can change and expose some weaknesses.

Savinho Through The Stats

Savinho La Liga 2023/24 via FBREF

• 3rd Most Assists (10)

• 7th Most Goals + Assists (19)

• 9th Most Shot Creating Actions (118)

• Most Goal Creating Actions (25)

• Most Successful Take-Ons (104)

• Most Progressive Carries (181)

• 3rd Most Carries into Penalty Area (80)

• Most Progressive Passes Received (372)

Here is his heatmap from the past season with Girona, playing mostly as a left winger and a few games at right-wing.

These are all of his open play shots via Understat. His finishing and ball-striking is not an outright strength of Savinho but compared to his efforts in front of goal in Brazil and the Netherlands, he’s improved. That trend needs to continue at City.

A lot of that is down to improving his positioning in the box and with better decision making. He’s not wasting a number of opportunities through blocked/missed shots outside of the box.

StatsBomb had a brilliant and insightful article, written by Nick Dorrington, on Savinho making the most of his space at Girona and how they help him get isolated on the wing.

In La Liga 23/24 Savinho was the player with the most space when receiving the ball. Greatest distance from the 1st defender (blue dot), 2nd closest defender (orange dot) and his nearest teammate (purple dot).

You can find the rest of the article from Statsbomb here.

Here is a comparison of him to Jeremy Doku at Manchester City last season who put up incredible underlying numbers. With the quality of teammates at City you’d expect to see the numbers of Savinho increase eventually over time.

If we take it back a season for Doku then you’ll see how he stacks up against Savinho, a clear shift towards scoring rather than providing.

The creative talents of Savinho with his left foot is one of the first qualities you’ll notice compared to standout quality of Doku, who is phenomenal at getting past his opposing full-back and into the box.

Here is a comparison to Jack Grealish during the 22/23 season who was a huge outlet for Manchester City as seen by the progressive passes received. Those numbers will go up for Savinho next season.

Here is a graphic from Pranav on the top ball progressers in La Liga 23/24 where Savinho ranks highly. Showing you his mix of carrying and passing mainly on the left side. Able to carry the ball from deep, inside his half and get the team into the final third.

How Does Savinho Fit Into Manchester City?

On his arrival Savinho was asked about his preferred position in which he said this. 👇

Looking at the current squad, without any Incomings/outgoings that could happen, it is the right wing spot that fits for the squad. Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish will be fighting for a spot on the left. Presuming that Bernardo Silva stays, the arrival of Savinho and emergence of Oscar Bobb means he can move into a central midfield role.

Looking Forward to the New Season

In Savinho Manchester City have signed one of the best young wingers around, a player that offers a different skill set to Jeremy Doku but both provide Guardiola a dynamic 1v1 wide threat and the opportunity to move the team in a different direction.

A player that will have room to improve over the next few years and continues to refresh the team. Going for a fifth title in a row you need fresh blood not only for their talent but also to bring in players hungry to win.

Looking back at last season, plenty of teams congested central spaces to shut down City which leaves the spaces out wide free. For the buildup, progressing the ball and attacking the final third City will need more options out wide and Savinho provides that. Jeremy Doku will be entering his second season. Walker and Gvardiol did not provide the lethal threat in wide areas those two wingers can provide City. Jack Grealish is looking to bounce back. Oscar Bobb will be pushing to start. All roads lead to shift in the City tactics and a tougher task for the opposition to handle. If that’s even possible!

Savinho will be unveiled to fans at an event in Manchester on Sunday 4th August. Set to miss the US pre-season tour as he takes his summer break post Copa América but could be in contention for his debut against Manchester United in the Community Shield or Chelsea in the Premier League opener.

Savinho only made one start for Brazil in the Copa América which we covered in the thread below.

If you are still looking for more content on Sávio then you can check out this thread linked below, looking at his 2023/24 season in La Liga.

Another Insightful post by a different Manchester City content creator on Sávio you can find linked below, by The Near Post.

LAST WORD👋

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