Allan Elias Joins Manchester City from Palmeiras for £34.2m
Manchester City have landed their replacement for Savio – and they have gone back to Brazil to find him.
The Premier League champions have signed winger Allan Elias from Palmeiras in a deal worth up to £34.2m, paying an initial £32m with a further £2.2m in add-ons for the 22-year-old. He has agreed a five-year contract, tying him to the club through the peak of his career.
From Palmeiras prodigy to City project
Allan arrives as a straight swap in profile for compatriot Savio, who left for Tottenham Hotspur in a £75m move last week. One Brazilian wide man out, another in – but with a very different story to write.
A right-sided winger who came through the Palmeiras academy, Allan made 96 appearances for the Brazilian giants in all competitions, scoring nine goals and supplying 12 assists. Not eye-watering numbers, but enough to catch the attention of Europe’s elite, and more importantly, to convince City’s recruitment team he fits their long-term plan.
For Allan, the step is seismic.
“This is a surreal moment for me. Manchester City, with everything they have won over the past 15 years, are one of the most attractive clubs in the world for players,” he said.
“To be able to sit here today and say I have joined them is the proudest moment of my life.
“I love Palmeiras and always will – but the decision to come to City was an easy one. I want to be the best footballer I can be and the conversations I've had with the people at City so far has convinced me there isn't a better place for me to fulfil my ambitions.”
Maresca’s City take shape
Allan becomes the latest piece in what has turned into a frantic first summer for Enzo Maresca.
City have already spent over £230m in this window. Elliot Anderson arrived from Nottingham Forest in a headline £116m deal, while highly rated midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi joined from Lille for £85.6m. Allan now adds pace and width to a squad being aggressively reshaped.
The transfer activity is not finished. City are in talks with Liverpool over Dutch forward Cody Gakpo and remain keen on Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, as Maresca looks to refresh a side that has lost some of its most established figures.
The churn has been dramatic at the other end of the market too. City have brought in more than £286m in player sales, led by 2026 World Cup Golden Ball winner Rodri’s £65m move to Barcelona. Tijani Reijnders has also departed, joining Al-Qadsiah for £52m.
So a new winger walks through the door, another symbol of a squad in transition. The question now is simple: how quickly can Allan turn that “surreal moment” into real impact on the pitch for a City side being rebuilt at full speed?
