TRANSFER WINDOW: MANCHESTER CITY RECRUITS BRAZILIAN SAVINHO FROM TROYES, WHERE HE HAS NEVER PLAYED

Brazilian international winger Savinho signed with the English club on Thursday, July 18. The Troyes player was loaned to Girona last year, another City Football Group club, and has never played with the Aube club.

He was the most expensive signing in ESTAC’s history. Manchester City announced on Thursday, July 18, that they had recruited Brazilian international winger Savinho , bought from Troyes, relegated to the National League, who successively loaned him to PSV Eindhoven and Girona.

The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the English champions and his transfer fee is estimated at 40 million euros by the British press. Savinho has never worn the shirt of ESTAC, a satellite club of Manchester City, to which he belonged.

After recruiting him in 2022 from Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, Troyes loaned him to PSV Eindhoven, then last season to Girona, another club affiliated with the City Football Group of Manchester (CFG).

With the Catalan club, who finished third in La Liga to everyone’s surprise, Savinho scored nine goals and contributed to the Catalan club’s historic qualification for the next Champions League.

“It’s very exciting to be here.”

“Everyone knows that (Manchester City) are the best team in the world at the moment, and to be here is very exciting for me,” the young striker said in a club statement.

“I am very motivated to work with Pep Guardiola, one of the best coaches of all time, and I know he will help me progress,” continued the Belo Horizonte native.

The nature of the deal is bound to raise fresh questions about the fairness of multi-ownership in football, where shareholders own multiple clubs. City Football Group owns stakes in 12 clubs across five continents.

In early July, UEFA allowed Manchester City and Girona to play in the Champions League, despite their financial ties. Similarly, Manchester United and Nice, both owned by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s company Ineos , will play in the Europa League.