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2 months ago
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Manchester City completed their first signing of the summer on Thursday by bringing in a 20-year-old Brazilian winger from Troyes for £21million.
The deal caused controversy because Troyes, like Man City, are owned by the City Football Group.
The City Football Group had bought the player for Troyes from Atletico Mineiro in June 2022 before loaning him out to PSV Eindhoven and then Girona - also part of the CFG.
In the end, he never even played for Troyes. But it was not just the internal dealings of the City Football Group that saw Thursday's transfer announcement raise eyebrows.
Many fans appeared to be caught out by a name change. So was he 'Savio' or 'Savinho'?
Manchester City signed Brazilian 20-year-old Savinho from Troyes for £21million this week
The winger, pictured (left) playing for Girona while on loan there, used to be known as 'Savio'
The player's full name is Savio Moreira de Oliveira.
This was naturally shortened to 'Savio', which is what he has worn on the back of his shirt throughout his club career - for Atletico Mineiro, PSV and Girona.
However, Girona fans gave him the nickname 'Savinho' and this stuck, so much so that when he was called up to the Brazil squad for the first time earlier this year, the national association actually registered him as 'Savinho'.
He therefore wore 'Savinho' on his back when he made his senior international debut in a 1-0 win over England in March.
Afterwards, he decided not to correct the apparent administrative error and instead continued to be known as 'Savinho' in six more outings for Brazil this summer.
He officially ended last season at Girona as 'Savino' as it was too late to change this, but he will begin the Premier League era of his career as 'Savinho'.
Upon the request of the player himself, he will now be known as 'Savinho' and that is the name that will feature on the back of his shirt at Manchester City during the 2024-25 campaign
He wore 'Savinho' on his Brazil shirt at this summer's Copa America tournament in the USA
As part of his first interview with Man City's media team, the man himself explained: '[My name change] is because in the national team, the first call-up they put "Savinho" on the shirt.
'People in Girona knew me more as "Savinho", it was just written "Savio" on the shirt, you know?
'So I told [City] to put "Savinho" on the shirt and I hope it brings me luck too, this name "Savinho".'
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