Manchester City Transfer: Man City open doors for €120 million Brazil winger Savio swap deal with Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo

Manchester City Transfer: Man City open doors for €120 million Brazil winger Savio swap deal with Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo

 

Manchester City have wrapped up a deal to bring a lethal Brazilian winger to the Etihad, while reports claim a world class Barcelona superstar could follow by way of a spectacular cash-plus-player transfer.

 

 

Despite winning the Premier League last season, Man City were not at their fluent best going forwards for much of the campaign.

 

Jeremy Doku showed flashes of brilliance, though in truth delivered little end product. Jack Grealish was relegated to a bench role for much of the campaign, while Erling Haaland scored 14 fewer goals in all competitions when compared to his debut season at City.

 

Phil Foden helped mask the drop in attacking efficiency when producing a spectacular season that earned him the Premier League’s Player of the Year award. Whether Foden can continue to produce the sky high standards he set last year remains to be seen.

 

 

To help Foden and to lighten the load on creator-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne, Man City sought to sign lethal winger Savio from sister club Troyes.

 

The 20-year-old – sometimes known as Savinho – joined City Group side Troyes from Atletico Mineiro two years ago.

 

However, the left-footed winger never played a game for Troyes, instead spending the 2022/23 season loaned to PSV Eindhoven and the 2023/24 campaign loaned to Girona, who are also part of City Group.

 

Savio shone during the latest spell, notching nine goals and 10 assists in LaLiga when helping to fire Girona into the Champions League for the first time in their history.

 

 

Man City believe the time is right for Savio to shine at the Etihad and according to Fabrizio Romano and the Athletic, they’ve wrapped up a deal.

 

Savio to join Man City after Copa America concludes

Savio will sign a five-year contract with Man City and complete his transfer after the Copa America concludes.

 

Savio is currently on duty with Brazil where he scored in their 4-1 victory over Paraguay last weekend.

 

 

How much City will pay isn’t yet clear. Reports have differed as to the exact amount, though the final fee is understood to be in the £25m-£40m range.

 

Upon completing the move, Savio will NOT be loaned out. City believe he has the capability to make an instant impact next season and he’ll be given ample opportunity to prove his worth.

 

Despite the modern trend of inverting wingers, Savio is a left-footed winger who primarily operated on the left side while loaned to Girona.

 

Joao Cancelo could unlock blockbuster Barcelona swap

Elsewhere, reports in Spain state Man City are well placed to sign Barcelona superstar Ronald Araujo too.

 

The Uruguayan ace is also on international duty at the Copa America, though his future may not lay at Barcelona when he returns.

 

Speculation Araujo wants out continues to swirl amid the 25-year-old believing he’s woefully underpaid in Spain.

 

Araujo signed a contract extension with Barcelona in 2022 on club-friendly terms. The move came with an unofficial understanding that Araujo would be suitably rewarded from a financial perspective at a later date when the club’s money situation was healthier.

 

However, fast forward two years and not only has Barca’s situation not improved, but Araujo is no closer to receiving a healthy pay rise.

 

Araujo has two years remaining on his deal and reports state Barcelona could reluctantly cash in if it becomes apparent Araujo won’t sign a new deal that better reflects his status within the game.

 

Cancelo can lower record-breaking transfer cost

Barcelona would reportedly seek a mammoth €120m fee if selling the 25-year-old in a straight cash deal.

 

Such a sum equates to £101.6m and would require Man City to break their transfer record. Their current most expensive buy is the £100m paid to sign Grealish in 2021.

 

To help make the costs more manageable, Man City could use Barcelona’s interest in Joao Cancelo to their advantage.

 

Cancelo has no place at Man City, though has returned to the club following his successful loan spell in Catalonia.

 

Barcelona aim to re-sign both Cancelo and fellow Portuguese loanee Joao Felix. The obvious issue of their financial limitations is thus far halting any progress from being made.

 

But the inclusion of Cancelo in a cash-plus-player deal for Araujo could provide the answer.