Man City news: Hugo Viana praised for “smart” Nico O’Reilly, Savinho decisions as Divine Mukasa prediction emerges

Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana wants a “big future” for Nico O’Reilly and Savinho at the Etihad Stadium and he has made the “smart” decision to extend the contracts of both players, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

A new era begun on the blue side of Manchester at the beginning of this year where Viana arrived from Sporting Lisbon to initially work alongside outgoing chief Txiki Begiristain during a transition period, before taking the reins full time in the summer.

Man City's £180m January spending spree on four new signings was widely viewed as a long-overdue move to refresh Guardiola's ageing squad, while the summer window represented another opportunity for Viana to oversee significant changes.

Trimming Guardiola’s bloated squad and reducing its age profile were priorities for Viana, who has since been making moves to secure the long-term futures of a number of first-team players, both highly-rated youngsters and established senior stars.

Following confirmation of new contracts for Ruben Dias and Rico Lewis, Man City announced last week that Nico O’Reilly has put pen to paper on a new long-term deal that will keep him at the Etihad until the summer of 2030.

Academy graduate O’Reilly, 20, has been rewarded for his impressive rise and consistent performances, primarily as a makeshift left-back, since breaking into Guardiola’s first team during the second half of last season.

O’Reilly and Savinho are the future of Man City

Meanwhile, Guardiola has confirmed reports that Savinho is close to signing a new six-year contract, with this new coming just weeks after he was strongly linked with a big-money transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

It is also understood that Man City are keen to open talks with Phil Foden, Rodri, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones over new contracts in the near future, with the latter due to see his current deal expire next summer. 

Viana’s impact at Man City has been praised by McInerney who is delighted by the contract renewals of O'Reilly and Savinho, telling Sports Mole: “I do think the age profile of the squad right now is so much younger and I think when you see where we're going, and there's a trust in youth there, I think it only adds validation to what Viana probably was saying: ‘You are the future and we do see that’.

“O'Reilly and Savinho can look around and see these young players that City have signed are getting chances - [Abdukodir] Khusanov, [Rayan] Cherki, and people like that - and go, ‘Yeah, they're telling the truth there’. They're not signing entirely established stars, they are going to give us a chance.

“Nico O'Reilly is massive - literally - and also [his new contract is] great news, because you [want to] keep your own and Nico O'Reilly has that intense love and connection to this club since he was a child.

“That does matter to me. I do think winning with your team, your side, it does add more. If you're in a Champions League final and you're a City fan playing for City, it does add more to you, because it's something you've dreamed of since you were a child. It might only be 0.5%, but that all adds up at the highest level.”

On Savinho and his imminent new deal, McInerney added: “I think it's a good show of faith. If you're close to losing a play like that, and City go ‘No, we do really rate you, you're going to get football, and here's a big, fat, juicy new contract... here's your reward for a promising debut season and you're staying here, we're all together, here's an improved contract’, I think it's a smart decision for City.

Viana makes “smart move” to tie down O’Reilly, Savinho

“[Savinho] didn't need to (agree a new deal). He's only been here for a year, but I presume his wage isn’t the highest. He came from Troyes, don't forget. It's not like he came from Girona. He came from the French club, so I can't imagine he was on the biggest wage.

“I think he'll be more in line now with a squad player for Manchester City standards. I have no idea. I saw some speculation of £40,000 a week. I think he'd be on slightly more than that, personally, but I think [with his new deal], he'll probably be on six figures, so I think he'll be happy with it.

“I think he'll sign it as well. I don't think it really changes if a player still wants to go, they can do if the right bid comes in, but I think it's smart to show that we are investing in young talent, and I think Viana means it.

“I think he does want a big future for Savinho and he does want a big future for Nico O'Reilly. This City side are creating new legacies right now, they're creating new identities. People like Savinho, Nico O'Reilly, [Abdukodir] Khusinov, these guys are hopefully the next generation of players.

“They'll take time, of course. They're not established as some players that we signed maybe six, seven years ago were, but they are clearly talented footballers. I do think when you sort these things out, you're moving distractions, you're focusing everyone and you're pulling them all together in the same direction.

“I think it's a smart move, particularly for people like Foden, O'Reilly and Rico Lewis. These are City fans and I care about that, and I think the players care about that too. You're locking them down.

“When [Erling] Haaland as well, one of your new captains, one of your leaders, signs a nine-and-a-half-year contract, that's an incredible statement of intent from Manchester City. It's an incredible statement from Haaland as well. I think others will look around and see that, and they'll commit their future too. I think it's good news.”

Mukasa tipped for first-team future as academy representations “matters” at Man City

McInerney strongly believes that it is important for Man City to have academy players, including O’Reilly, represent them at the highest possible level, and he has also suggested that highly-rated starlet Divine Mukasa - who was handed his first senior start in a 2-0 EFL Cup win at Huddersfield Town last week -  could be the next name from the academy to establish himself in Guardiola’s side in the near future.

“I think it does (matter),” said McInerney. “I think it builds a culture, and I do believe people like Mukasa, who played that game (against Huddersfield), I think he's next in line [because of] his physicality, his technical ability.

“You're look around now, you've got James Trafford - I know he's re-signed, but he's an academy player and he loves his club as well - he's in as a squad player who will play football this season.

“Rico Lewis, Nico O'Reilly, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, and then Mukasa is going to play minutes. There's six players there who’ve played for our academy and they'll get regular minutes this season for Manchester City. That is a substantial amount. That's a quarter of your squad. That's an awful lot.

“Bear in mind, there's also going to be multiple [academy players] who are part of the Under-18s or the Under-23 setup who will train with the first team regularly, who are probably City fans - that matters, it absolutely does.

“I think that's a really positive thing for City, because I remember the owner wanted a whole bunch of City fans and City local lads in the team. It takes a long time to do that, but we are slowly getting there.”

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