Allan's early City displays hint £34m winger can fill the void left by Savinho

Allan gave Manchester City supporters another encouraging glimpse of his ability during Tuesday night’s Champions League victory over AEK Athens, making his second start for the club and underlining why the Blues spent £34 million on a winger few outside South America had heard of.

The 22-year-old’s most vivid moment came when he collected the ball on the left flank, faced a wall of defenders and simply surged through them anyway — hurdling one challenge, evading two more — before running out of pitch. It was a sequence that captured both his raw potential and the rough edges still to be smoothed.

His full debut arrived last month in the Carabao Cup win over Norwich City, where he scored and provided an assist in a performance that was bright but uneven. Against AEK Athens he went close with a first-half effort and repeatedly tested his full-back, though he did give possession away in the build-up to the Greek side’s goal.

Allan arrived this summer as a direct replacement for compatriot Savinho, who was sold to Tottenham after two seasons in which he was widely felt to have underperformed at the Etihad. Where Savinho was criticised for a lack of intensity, Allan has drawn early praise for the opposite qualities — a willingness to run at defenders and a high work rate that has quickly endeared him to City fans.

Adapting to life in Manchester has not been without its challenges. Allan has spoken openly about the language barrier and the English weather, and the move to City represents his first departure from boyhood club Palmeiras. City’s recruitment staff, who tracked him for two years before completing the deal, are said to be relaxed about the pace of his development and have no intention of rushing him.

Sporting Director Hugo Viana set the tone for expectations earlier this season. “We were looking for a different type of winger and we knew that Alan could be that player,” he said. “He is young and needs to adapt and we will give him time to do that. He needs more time because to go from Brazil to the Premier League is a big step.”

At 22, with only two senior starts behind him and a significant cultural adjustment still under way, Allan is nowhere near the finished article. But the determination and directness he has shown in those opening appearances give City genuine reason for optimism that the investment will pay off.