While the Carlos Tevez saga rumbles on and looks unlikely to end favourably for City, the club have gone about their business to make a second positive move within a week with the capture of Stefan Savic. The 20-year-old, rated as one of Europe’s most promising defensive prospects, signed a four-year deal on Wednesday to join fellow new signing Gael Clichy in the City squad.
At 6ft 1in, Savic is a tall athletic defender who seems well suited to the English game. Renowned for his composure and astute positioning, Savic also has pace and a tidy first touch for a centre-back. Having started his career in Serbia, the Montenegrin international has inevitably been labelled as the next Nemanja Vidic in some quarters but , although Savic will threaten to make an impact on the Premier League next season, he has some way to go before that comparison can be justified.
Despite experience in Champions League and international football, Savic will surely be seen as a long-term option who can provide able back-up in Roberto Mancini’s squad. The Fantasy potential of City’s new acquisition is perhaps limited then; his arrival presenting Mancini with further options with which to shuffle his back four – already a notoriously unpredictable component in the City lineup.
The Statistics
Not surprisingly for a 20-year-old with just a couple of seasons under his belt, Savic does not boast the kind of career statistics that offer indication of his talent. He began his career with BSK Borca in Serbia where he made 27 appearances – a spell which did enough to rouse the attentions of Arsene Wenger who brought Savic over for a trial the Emirates in 2010. For reasons still to be revealed, Wenger decided against offering him a contract and Savic returned to Serbia before Partizan made a move to capture his services on a four-year deal.
Savic went on to make 28 appearances for the Belgrade club, notching a single goal and did enough to earn a call-up to the senior Montenegro squad in April last year having represented his country at three youth levels. His performances were also enough to earn further attention from the Premier League elite – City making their move and showing no hesitation in offering Savic passage to the English top flight. Savic will have a point to prove to Mr Wenger when he eventually makes his Premier League bow.
The Prospects
While it is widely rumoured that Mancini doubts the merits of Joleon Lescott alongside the defensive rock that is Vincent Kompany, it seems unlikely that Savic has arrived as an immediate replacement for the former Everton man. Savic is a right-footed centre-back and has even represented his country at right full-back – most recently against England at Wembley. With Lescott lining up on the left of City’s central defensive pairing, Savic is unlikely to threaten a breakthrough into the staring XI just yet and it seems that Mancini has earmarked his new acquisition as one for the future, rather than a central figure for next season.
Unlike recent arrival Gael Clichy then, Savic is another addition to the City squad that will cause us Fantasy Managers concern rather than offer true potential for regular starts and consistent returns. Savic has the ability to make an impact but would seem set for cameo roles as a rotation option which will dent the security offered by Lescott as Kompany’s regular centre-back partner. Pre-season form and some impressive displays early on could however, promote Savic in the pecking order.
