I moved halfway across the world to help Man City's new signing - it's already paying off

Savinho's debut season at Manchester City is going from strength to strength - literally - thanks to a devotion to climbing the internal training charts at the City Football Academy.

The £33m Brazilian was City's only major summer signing, arriving from sister club Troyes after an eye-catching season at another City Football Group outfit in Girona. 11 goals and 10 assists in La Liga persuaded City to make their move and take the first steps in transforming their front line.

Savinho grew up on his family farm milking cows, and is now impressing in the Champions League for City having conquered Spain and broken into the Brazil squad.

An eye-catching debut for City in the Community Shield followed off the bench before a start in the Premier League opener at Chelsea. Two assists on his home debut helped bed him in, as did another against Arsenal at home.

But his start was hampered by minor setbacks. He was replaced at half-time against Chelsea and again against Inter Milan while he missed the third game of the season with a knock. He sat out further games for rotational reasons, and went on runs of one assist in six and then none in ten as the winter drew in and City's form plummeted.

"I thought he started really well this season and then maybe go down a bit with the team," admitted one of Savinho's captains, Kevin De Bruyne. "But he's created a lot of chances."

In fact Savinho went 28 shots in the Premier League without a goal in the Premier League until his Christmas strike at Leicester, the most of any player in the division. It was his 23rd appearance for City in all competitions, and he added a nice assist for Erling Haaland in the process. Add a penalty won against Everton and that was enough to win City's Player of