Gabriel Sara is the real deal but forget the Emi Buendia comparisons – that is the message from south American football expert Juan Arango.

Norwich City look set to confirm Sara as their second summer signing, pending a medical in the coming days, with Brazilian media reporting the 23-year-old midfielder is now due to fly to Europe.

Sara is viewed as one of Sao Paulo’s best assets, and respected broadcaster Arango has charted his rise from the youth ranks.

City plucked Argentine Buendia from the third tier of Spanish football, and moulded him into a Championship title-winning talisman before his club record sale to Aston Villa.

Buendia’s goals, assists and special relationship with Teemu Pukki were key factors in the club’s recent success, but Sara is a work in progress warns Arango.

“Are you getting the finished product? No. He needs to find that change of gear to his game but his versatility is very desirable,” said Arango. “Under Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo coach) one of the core principles is playing out from the back, so you need a player who can drop deep to collect the ball, or push on and win a second ball.

“He can do that but his role might depend on what they do in the wide areas. They like to play with possession at Sao Paulo, they like players who can make those darting runs with good rotation.

“He can play the eight, the six or the 10 but to be honest you don’t want that. He is not a stop-gap type of player.

“He is a player who is important on transition and winning those second balls. You can see from a few goals Sao Paulo have scored where the ball starts at the back, they attack with pace, and he arrives in the box. He understands where to run and who to run off.

“That makes him much more valuable. He can play behind or off a striker and is able to find the space to set himself up with one or two touches in the box, before he gets his shot away.”

Sara has not played since an ankle injury in April but the demands of the English Championship will not pose a problem.

“One thing I am seeing is a suggestion he will have to adapt to the rigours of the Championship. Let me tell you one thing, in two years he has played 119 matches,” said Arango. “Brazil only has three weeks when they are not playing. They start in January, they go through to December. They take Christmas off and start again. Some players play up to five or six tournaments a year.

“Sao Paulo play the state championship, the Brazilian cup, the national tournament. If you look at their calendar in 2022 they will play 66 matches – if they get to the final of the Sudamericana.

“The only issue is his lack of recent game time. He had ankle surgery after damaging it in April and he still hasn’t returned to playing. The speed of the game in England is also a different challenge. Not in terms of transition but in general play. His speed of thought will have to be quicker to handle that compared to Brazilian football.”

Norwich may have struck at just the right time for a player who only established himself during recent seasons.

“Maybe those closer to that club felt this was a long time coming,” said Arango, speaking on the Hodge on Nodge podcast on the Hodgeythehack youtube channel and podcast players, hosted by Stuart Hodge. “One of the realities of south American football is when these type of players emerge and establish themselves many clubs look to sell. Fans do not end up enjoying a player long enough.

“Julian Alvarez is the same thing. He started at 18 but moved to Manchester City at the age of 21 this summer. Once they are 23 and they are good, they are going to Europe. Whether they are fully developed or not.

“That is the change with maybe 10 or 15 years ago, when they were the finished articles. But sooner rather than later he was going to leave.

“He was part of the Sao Paulo youth system. It just took him a little while longer to get into the first team, but they were buying a lot of players, and there was a lot of turnover in coaches. For a young player they can get put to the side, and it can harm their development. When you get your chance, it is sink or swim.

 

“He had a lot coaches, including Hernan Crespo, who knows about playing in England. Now Ceni has returned and given a lot of younger players an opportunity.

“Sao Paulo need to generate money from transfers. They have a player called Welington, who plays on the left side, and he is attracting interest from Fenerbahce.

“There was a report recently that claimed they estimate by the end of this year they will have generated €25m from selling players, while still being able to invest in the squad to contend to qualify for the Copa Libertadores, and a strong showing in the national championship in 2023.”