Filed under: Manchester City, Premier League, Football, Transfer News
Despite boasting a record number of clean sheets last season, Roberto Mancini is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to maintain Manchester City's climb.Fresh from the capture of Arsenal left back Gael Clichy, Mancini is now set to complete a £7 million move for Partizan Belgrade central defender Stefan Savic.
The Manchester City manager has turned his attentions to the Montenegro international as he looks to bolster a defence that kept an impressive 28 clean sheets last term.
It's another sign that the club are not ready to sit back on their laurels as they look to take the next step forward of challenging for major honours. The signing of Savic would be a major coup given he is regarded as one of Europe's hottest prospects.
But while Arsenal have been keeping a close eye on the 20-year-old defender, Mancini has stolen a march on their rivals by moving in.
Arsene Wenger has a reputation for plucking young unknowns from Europe and Africa and transforming them into Premier League heavyweights. But with City's rise and ever expanding scouting system, the Gunners manager knows he no longer has the monopoly over such raw talent from the continent.
According to Sky Sports, Savic has flown in for a medical and is close to signing, despite Partizan's bid to keep Savic for their Champions League clash with Skendija.
Partizan coach Aleksandar Stanojevic said: "I believe our president and sporting director will do everything possible for Savic to play against Skendija.
"But nobody, especially Manchester City, wants to take a risk which means in reality it is 99 per cent certain he will not play."
Whether Mancini sees Savic as a first-team player next season is one thing. But the fact that Mancini is also looking to the future, and wants to develop Savic, suggests he's in it for the long haul at the club.
He has been in charge for 18 months and the Italian is now shaping his squad to his liking.
A string of high-profile players, including Craig Bellamy, Emmanuel Adebayor and Wayne Bridge, appear to have played their last game for the club and will be shipped out.
There also remains serious doubts over the future of Carlos Tevez, who has declared his intention to leave Manchester this summer.
But Mancini won't yet have given up hope of persuading his unsettled captain to stay on - while further players are expected to arrive with Arsenal's Samir Nasri on the radar and Fiorentina winger Alessio Cerci another target.
There's no doubt one big test for Mancini this coming season will be combining the demands of domestic football with the Champions League.
While he managed to win three Serie A titles during his four years at Inter Milan, Europe's premier club club competition proved a tougher nut to crack. But at Manchester City he is taking small, but vital, steps to success.
And having significantly bolstered a department that was one of their strongest areas last season, it's just another the sign that the Manchester City revolution is gathering pace at a rate that will have their Premier League rivals once again looking over their shoulders.
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