Can rural farm boy Savinho find his place in the City?

South American football journalist Tim Vickery provides expert insight on Savinho following the Brazilian's move to Manchester City.

Player analysis - Savinho

In June and July all over Brazil there are parties that celebrate the rural way of life, with people, and especially children, dressing up as farm hands in checked shirts and dresses and performing country dances.

It is not a scene that fits into the view of Brazil widely held abroad, dominated by beaches and big cities. And Brazilian footballers, too, are usually viewed as products of urban hardship. But for Manchester City’s new winger, the rustic scene is where he is most at home. 

The 20-year-old is from the countryside. When he first caught national attention he shook his head and exclaimed, “Nine months ago I was on the farm, working the land and taking care of the animals.” But the game of the big city came calling, and he was an adolescent promise with Atletico Mineiro, a giant team from Belo Horizonte.

Savio Moreira de Oliveira was such a prodigy, making his first-team debut at the age of 16, that he was instantly dubbed "Savinho", meaning "little Savio". It is a nickname that he has not shaken off, and one that he will wear on his shirt at Man City. But, four years down the line, having filled out physically and grown immensely in prestige, little Savio now looks ready for the big time.

See: Savinho explains shirt name change

Influence of Jorge Sampaoli

Perhaps the farm boy was always going to be attracted to a club, in Atletico Mineiro, usually referred to as "Galo" - the rooster. 

Savinho was lucky enough to come into contention for a place in the Atletico senior squad while Argentinian coach Jorge Sampaoli was in charge. A dynamic little figure, perennially pacing up and down the touchline, Sampaoli has had an uneven career, with both exhilarating highs and embarrassing lows. But working with him was a high point for Savinho. 

Sampaoli loves wingers. He saw the potential in Savinho and singled out the youngster for special attention. “He adopted me like a son,” the player told Globo Esporte, “helping me a lot on and off the field. He demanded a lot from me.” Sampaoli gave him confidence and he gave him opportunities, and though the coach’s time with Atletico was brief, he left a mark.

Rumours of something special appeared to be confirmed in May 2022.  Coming off the bench in a match in the Copa Libertadores (South America’s equivalent of the UEFA Champions League) against Independiente del Valle, Savinho sealed a 3-1 win when he unrolled a move which has since become a frequent sight, cutting in from the right wing to curl a left-footed shot into the far top corner.

Atletico qualified for the knockout stages of the competition. But by the time they kicked off, soon afterwards, Savinho was no longer there. The City Group bought him for a reported 6.5million euros.

Breakthrough in Europe

The influence of the Vinicius Junior deal is obvious. Real Madrid’s success with the Brazilian superstar has accelerated a process whereby the European clubs want to take South American talent as early as possible. They are buying much more on promise than on reality.

There are obvious pitfalls in this approach. The transition from adolescent to adult can always be problematic, especially in a foreign culture. And from the ages of 16 to 18, for example, Savinho was seen by everyone around him as a special one.

Joining the City Group made him just one more in a global collection of talent. He was to be loaned here and loaned there - which can have a demoralising effect and cause a career to lose momentum at a vital moment.

This could have happened to Savinho. On paper he belonged to Troyes in France. But he was first sent to PSV in Holland, where the 2022/23 season was a challenge. He ran into injury problems, and made little impression.

The stakes were rising, then, in the middle of last year when he moved on to Girona in Spain. Another disappointing campaign could have had serious consequences. Instead, he enjoyed a glory season with the humble Catalan club who for a while were genuine contenders for the league title. 

It was here that he showed the kind of form that made him attractive to Manchester City.

He played on the right wing, cutting in. But he also featured on the left, going outside on his natural foot. And wherever he played he caused problems. 

He had gained in strength, and with his burst of acceleration, sustained pace and intricate close skills, he was a constant worry, getting the best of defenders in one-against-one situations and - crucially - coming up with end product. 

He was a provider, with beautifully-flighted crosses or smart pullbacks from the byline. And he was a threat on his own, seldom shirking the opportunity to shoot at goal. Even better, he was turning on the style in big matches, against the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

International impact

Such achievements brought him a Brazil call-up.  He made his debut off the bench in the 1-0 win over England at Wembley in March. Next time out, in a warm-up match for this summer's Copa America, he started against Mexico and set up a goal for Andreas Pereira.

So impressive was his performance that he instantly became a serious challenger to Raphinha for a place in the starting line-up for the Copa America. The former Leeds United man ended up winning the battle, but Savinho started the group game against Paraguay and helped himself to his first international goal.

There should be plenty of other goals to come - especially if he can slot in successfully at Manchester City.

This could well be a fascinating meeting of cultures.

The Pep Guardiola style is frequently criticised in Brazil, dismissed as being overly rigid. The coach would surely argue that he aims to give his talented players the freedom to find their own solutions in the final third of the field. On the other hand, some would see Jack Grealish as having been stymied at the Etihad Stadium by an excess of tactical discipline.

Savinho will be a splendid test case for this discussion.  There is a free spirit in the former farm boy, one that likes to run with the ball - often moving crossfield if he starts on the right.

Can the rural kid find his place in the City? Finding out should be fun.