David Silva hailed as Man City’s greatest ever player
Spanish midfielder David Silva is Manchester City’s greatest player ever, according to former teammate Alvaro Negredo.
The 33-year-old Spanish playmaker recently celebrated a fourth Premier League title since joining from Valencia in July 2010.
How great has Silva been for City? Five things to know…
- Silva joined Manchester City from Valencia in July 2010 for a reported £30m.
- He’s gone on to make 396 appearances for the club, registering 71 goals and 109 assists.
- Silva has played a pivotal role in the club’s rise to domestic dominance: four Premier League titles, four League Cups and two FA Cups won since he arrived.
- His best Premier League campaign was 2011/12 when he directly contributed to 21 goals, scoring six and creating 15.
- Silva’s present deal at the Etihad expires June 2020, he’s previously revealed a desire to one day play for Las Palmas
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Having joined two years after the club’s acquisition by Sheikh Mansour, the diminutive Spaniard has played an instrumental role in City’s rise to domestic dominance. In the proceeding nine seasons no team has won more Premier League titles (four) than Man City with Silva bagging 54 goals and 83 assists in 282 appearances.
He’s one of two City players remaining from that 2010/11 squad led by Roberto Mancini with the soon to depart Vincent Kompany being the other. This loyalty has endeared him to supporters who many place him among the finest to ever wear City’s sky blue jersey. Someone that feels much stronger is compatriot and former teammate Negredo who’s in no doubt what ranking belongs to Silva.
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“I like so much Aguero, but my preference is David Silva,” he told The National.
“People look at the goals; the striker normally draws more passion from the supporters. Aguero scores so many goals. But when you play on the pitch, the striker is important but he doesn’t play alone.
“For me, David is the best [in City’s history]. When you take one No 10 with this quality, this vision, for a striker it’s easier. When David takes the ball, you always think ‘his pass will come, it will come to me’.
“Maybe the striker is more egotistical and it’s always ‘goal, goal, goal’, but David is the player to opens the space when the opponent is closed, always the one with the better solution. When I stayed in Manchester, David was the best. And now he continues to be.”
Slow goodbye?
Silva’s present contract with City, which he signed back in November 2017, is set to expire on June 30, 2020. Heading into his final year there’s expectation he’ll pen a new deal. Pep Guardiola has used him carefully across the 2018/19 season. Of his 33 league appearances he’d start and finish 16 of them. Silva, entering his twilight years, has spoken in the past about representing local club Las Palmas based on Gran Canaria where he was born.
“I’ve got a year left here,” he told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
“I’ve always said that I’ve wanted to play for Las Palmas but when next season finishes I’ll see. I’ll consider what I have left to give, what I want to do and what will be best.”
