Highlights:
- Manchester City have signed Brazilian winger Allan Elias from Palmeiras in a deal worth up to £34.2m, on a five-year contract.
- He directly replaces compatriot Savio, who completed a £75m move to Tottenham Hotspur just last week.
- Despite the fee, Allan has never played for Brazil at any level, senior or age-group, making him a notably low-profile pick for a City squad rebuild.
Manchester City have signed Allan Elias from Palmeiras for an initial £32m, rising to £34.2m with add-ons, filling the exact role vacated by Savio's £75m move to Tottenham just days earlier. It's a straightforward like-for-like swap in terms of role, and a considerably cheaper one in terms of fee.
Who actually is Allan Elias?
A 22-year-old right-sided winger who came through Palmeiras' youth academy and made 96 first-team appearances for the club, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists along the way. He helped Palmeiras reach the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals this year, and the club currently sits top of Brazil's top flight. What's notable is what's missing from his CV: no senior Brazil caps, and no age-group international appearances either, an unusually low profile for a signing City are paying up to £34m for.
Allan called the move "a surreal moment" in a statement, saying it was the proudest moment of his life to join a club with City's recent history, while adding that leaving Palmeiras, a club he said he'll always love, wasn't an easy decision to make.
| The Allan Elias deal | |
|---|---|
| Fee | £32m guaranteed, up to £34.2m with add-ons |
| Contract | Five years |
| Age | 22 |
| Palmeiras record | 9 goals, 12 assists in 96 appearances |
| International caps | None, at senior or age-group level |
| Replaces | Savio (£75m to Tottenham) |
