[분석] 맨시티와 5년 재계약한 리코 루이스의 활약 자세히 살펴보기 | OneFootball

맨체스터 시티(맨시티)의 18세 신성 리코 루이스가 1군 데뷔 후 단 1년 만에 구단과 5년 계약 연장을 체결했다.

루이스가 처음으로 맨시티 1군 경기에 출전한 건 지난 2022/23 시즌 홈에서 열린 본머스전이었다. 그는 맨시티가 4-0 대승을 거둔 이날 경기 막판 카일 워커를 대신해 교체 출전했다. 이후 루이스는 가파른 성장세를 보이며 맨시티의 주전급 자원으로 성장했다.

여전히 18세에 불과한 루이스는 구단 역사상 최연소 경기 출전 기록 5위에 올랐다. 그는 맨시티 1군 데뷔보다 단 3개월 앞선 시점까지 18세 이하 리그 우승을 경험한 유망주였다.

루이스는 맨시티 1군 데뷔전을 치른 후 성장을 거듭하며 올 시즌에는 초반부터 주전 자리를 꿰차고 있다. 지난 시즌 맨시티의 역사적인 트레블 달성이 어린 루이스가 성장하는 데 밑거름이 된 점도 간과할 수 없다.

어느덧 루이스는 맨시티 1군 선수로 24경기에 출전했고, 지난주 번리와의 2023/24 잉글랜드 프리미어 리그 개막전에서도 선발 출전했다. 굳이 수치화하자면, 현재 그는 여덟 경기당 우승 트로피 하나를 들어올리고 있다.

최근 맨시티와 재계약을 맺은 루이스가 펼친 활약을 수치를 통해 살펴보자.

Premier League

Since his senior bow in the competition, Lewis has gone on to make 15 Premier League appearances, 11 of which have been starts.

The first time Lewis was in the first XI was on 28 December 2022 against Leeds United when, aged 18 years and 37 days, he became the youngster Englishman to start a Premier League game for City since Micah Richards in May 2006.

His total of 982 minutes of Premier League football is the third-most of any teenager since August 2022, with only Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and Leeds winger Wilfried Gnonto having featured more regularly.

However, the City youngster’s win percentage of 73% in the top flight is far ahead of any other teenager.

WATCH: Rico Lewis: Academy to First Team

Passing stats

Pep Guardiola’s men have consistently showcased a remarkable brand of free-flowing, possession-based football during his time at the Club, with defenders expected to be as comfortable on the ball as their more attacking team-mates.

Lewis’ outstanding numbers in this metric therefore demonstrate why he has fit so seamlessly into the well-oiled City machine.

Among teenagers to have completed more than 50 passes in the Premier League since his debut in August 2022, only Lavia can better the defender’s total of 621.

However, with a success rate of 91.7% from his 677 attempted passes, our young full-back leads the way across the English top flight, over 3% greater than his closest rival, Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka.

That incredible figure extends onto a continental setting, with Lewis finishing the 2022/23 campaign with the best success rate of any teenager in Europe’s top five leagues to have attempted a minimum of 500 passes (92.2%).

Versatility

Despite his tender years, Lewis possesses a remarkable tactical intelligence, with his versatility a key feature in his rapid rise.

The 18-year-old has been consistently trusted by Guardiola to operate in the hybrid full-back role, which sees a defender drift into central areas to support build-up play.

It goes a long way to explaining his incredible passing stats, with the youngster’s technical ability, composure and vision all brought to the fore.

According to Opta, Lewis has spent 38% of his total minutes in the Premier League in central areas, in comparison to 27% in either full-back role.

It’s another eye-opening demonstration of both the faith afforded the 18-year-old, and the manner in which he’s grasped that opportunity with both hands.

WATCH: City 3-1 Sevilla: Champions League highlights

Champions League Records

Of all the standout moments in Lewis’ young career so far, the greatest milestone was perhaps achieved on 2 November 2022.

Aged just 17 years and 346 days, the full-back had already become the fifth youngest Englishman to start a match in Europe’s elite competition before kick-off against Sevilla at the Etihad Stadium.

However, he would mark his first senior start, and UEFA Champions League debut, with a goal against Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup opponents, confidently stroking home at the near post soon after the restart to draw us level.

In doing so, he became the youngster player in Champions League history to score on his first start in the UEFA Champions League, surpassing Karim Benzema’s strike for Lyon against Rosenborg in 2005 by six days.

Lewis had already impressed during substitute appearances at the beginning of the campaign, but it was that strike which perhaps really saw him take off.