Savinho has replaced Riyad Mahrez as the new No. 26 jersey holder of Manchester City. The Brazilian winger has joined the reigning Premier League champions in the summer transfer window on a deal worth around £30.8 million. The talented youngster secured a spot in the starting eleven during his side’s Premier League opener against Chelsea. Savinho put up an impressive performance in his Manchester City debut. His off-the-ball movements and prolific runs along the right flank caused problems for the Chelsea defenders.
Savinho’s playing style and some of his touches were reminiscent of Riyad Mahrez, who spent five seasons at Manchester City before leaving for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli last summer. The English club shared some glimpses of Savinho’s first outing on social media with the caption, “Our New Brazilian settling in.”
The post has attracted a hilarious reaction from Mahrez. The ex-No. 26 of Manchester City reshared the video on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Wait a minute” along with a monocle and laughing emoji.
During his stay at Manchester City, Mahrez made 236 appearances across competitions. He netted 78 goals while registering 56 assists. Mahrez won the Premier League title four times, lifted two FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League title.
Former English footballer Glenn Hoddle compared Savinho with Riyad Mahrez when the Premier League clash was underway at Stamford Bridge. To Hoodle, Savinho looked like a “twin brother” of the Algerian star.
During a discussion on Optus Sport, the footballer-turned-pundit said, “He’s (Savinho) not only good down at his feet, he’s got upper body movement as well. He’s got that little body swerve about him. It looks like Mahrez. It’s like you’re looking at a Mahrez here and I think that’s why Pep had the confidence to not only bring him into the squad but he’s playing him, away at Stamford Bridge in a big game,” as quoted by Manchester Evening News.
Savinho failed to continue after the first half due to a knee issue, which saw him being replaced by Phil Foden after the break. Pep Guardiola, however, later confirmed that the 20-year-old would “hopefully” become fit ahead of the next fixture against Ipswich Town, scheduled for August 24.
Manchester City pulled off a roaring start to their Premier League campaign. Erling Haaland scored the opening goal in an away fixture against Chelsea. Mateo Kovacic made it 2-0 late in the second half, ensuring a full three points for the reigning champions.
