Savinho faces unexpected Manchester City challenge as £33.6m star presented to fans

Savinho was unveiled as a Manchester City player on Sunday, two and a half weeks after his £33.6m transfer from Troyes was confirmed.

The Brazilian, who has been enjoying some down time since his involvement at the Copa America, is set to meet up with his new team-mates this week as preparations for the 2024/25 get under way.

Before that, Savinho was presented to fans outside the Etihad Stadium and spoke to members of the press this weekend, alongside Vivianne Miedema, who joined from Arsenal earlier this window. But as the only addition to Pep Guardiola’s squad his summer, Savinho will hope to bring a fresh perspective to the team and help reinvigorate the experienced group.

“I want to improve in all aspects of my game and part of my decision is that all players have improved under Pep in their skills and decision making,” he said during Sunday’s press conference.

“I have come here to learn and help the team. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak to him [Guardiola] yet. I only met him to welcome me here.

“I am not concerned because I know how capable he is. I trust his judgement and he knows how I can help Manchester City.”

If Savinho needs proof of what impact Guardiola can have on players, he need only look at this summer’s tour of the USA, where youngster Oscar Bobb has shown a new level of maturity. The 21-year-old was the standout player across the four friendlies and is surely in line to begin the new campaign in the starting XI.

As the only natural left-footed wingers, Bobb is Savinho’s most obvious competitor for a starting berth on the right-hand side, although Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva have also been deployed in that role. But Bobb’s performances might just cause City’s sole summer signing to evaluate his role in the team, especially during the early weeks of the new season.

“Today I am really happy to be here. It’s a new chapter in my life and I am ready for all the challenges that will come my way,” Savinho said.

Replacing Bobb is a challenge City’s new no.26 may not have anticipated when he negotiated his move to the Etihad earlier this year, especially given the Norwegian started just two Premier League matches last season. But while Bobb has an undoubted head start, Savinho will hope his talent can still shine through.

“I am really looking forward to training,” he explained. “I thank God for the opportunity to have brought me here and I am grateful to everyone at Manchester City for signing me and putting their faith in me and I am now a part of this huge club.

“I am really looking forward to this opportunity and can’t wait to start training and make my debut for this team.”

That debut could come at Wembley this weekend when City take on Manchester United in the Community Shield. It’s a game that has become a regular starting point for summer arrivals - Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Mateo Kovacic have all used it to debut their talents in sky blue over recent years.

A fast start at the weekend would undoubtedly help the 20-year-old settle in, even it may take a few months until the attacker is fully up and running.