Tour form changes the picture
There was a moment, not so long ago, when the sensible assumption was that Savinho would be playing his football somewhere else next season. Tottenham felt like the likeliest landing spot. The noise around a move had built all summer, and the logic seemed sound enough: City wanted a winger, Savinho wanted minutes, and a parting of the ways looked mutually beneficial.
Then Asia happened.
Three friendlies, and suddenly the Brazilian looked exactly like the kind of wide player Enzo Maresca's system demands. His one-on-one work was a genuine weapon, particularly on the right flank, and the sheer amount of football he was given suggested the manager rather liked what he was seeing. Savinho still has rough edges to smooth out, no question, but the raw material is clearly there.
Neto links fade
That form has coincided rather neatly with a cooling of the Pedro Neto chatter. The Chelsea winger had been mentioned as a potential arrival at the Etihad, especially if Savinho were to depart. But Sky Sports' Ben Ransom has now reported that City are not interested in signing the Portuguese international this summer. Off the board, apparently.
Ransom does add that the situation could shift, and football being football, it probably will at some point. But for now, a move for Neto is not happening.
Which rather leaves City where they started the summer: still in the market for a winger, in theory. Except the theory is starting to look a little shaky. If Maresca rates Savinho as highly as his pre-season selections suggest, the need to go shopping in the first place begins to fade.
The Tottenham move, meanwhile, appears to have been shelved. Whether that's because Savinho's stock has risen or because Spurs simply moved on, the effect is the same: the Brazilian stays put, at least for now.
It is worth remembering that pre-season form can be a mischievous thing. Plenty of players have dazzled in July only to vanish by October. But Savinho's performances in Asia were not just flashes; they were consistent, and they came against opposition that were trying, if not always succeeding, to compete.
If Maresca needed convincing, he got it in the Far East. And if City needed a reason to shelve the winger hunt, they may well have found one. The transfer market's loss could yet be the squad's gain.