In a show of real intent for the upcoming Premier League season, Manchester City continued their spending by completing a deal for David Silva from Valencia, for a fee believed to be in the region of £25m-£30m. The 24-year-old left-winger arrives at Eastlands on a four-year contract and will add real quality to Roberto Mancini’s side in their challenge for next season’s title.
Despite being linked with moves to Real Madrid and Chelsea, it was the cash-rich Abu Dhabi-owned club that won the deal, with Valencia’s well-documented debt forcing them to sell yet another star name, on the back of David Villa’s transfer to Barcelona.
The move marked the first real marquee signing of the summer and it won’t be just the blue half of Manchester looking forward in anticipation to the diminutive Spaniard gracing the Premier League for the foreseeable future; his skills will no doubt be a treat for anyone appreciative of true football talent…
The Statistics
Opinion…
Andy
“David Silva is a little weasel, and I mean that as a compliment. City really do have the potential- and the chequebook and pen shows no sign of drying up right now- of pushing on to that next level.
I worry that Silva may be a little lightweight for this league but in this team I expect, and hope, for him to shine.
With games against Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea on the immediate horizon I‘ll be watching him from a distance for a wee while first- at the rate that City are buying up players, he could still end up on the bench every other game.”
As Roberto Mancini declared upon finalising the signing:
“I think that David Silva is one of the best midfielders in Europe, and I hope he will be a very important player for Manchester City. I am so pleased he is coming to us, I think he can make a big, big impact.”
Silva began the first two seasons of his career farmed out on loan by Valencia; first -as an 18-year-old- with Segunda Division SD Eibar in the 2004-05 season, where his return was 5 goals and 7 assists in 35 games. Next up was a season with Celta Vigo, with Silva playing 34 games, finding the net 4 times and assisting 5 goals.
The following season saw Silva establish himself as a fundamental part of the Valencia first team, a status he maintained for four seasons before this summer’s transfer. Whilst there, he became one of the leading lights of La Liga, scoring 21 goals and providing 24 assists over the space of 119 league appearances.
Silva has represented Spain from Under 17 up to Under 21 level, grabbing 21 goals in 48 games, and at full international level, has managed 37 appearances and 7 goals. Silva’s lack of real involvement at this year’s World Cup can certainly be excused, given that the likes of Cesc Fabregas also failed to break into the starting XI. With Xavi and Andres Iniesta guaranteed starters and David Villa excelling wide left in Silva’s preferred position, City’s new man was littlle more than a hopeful spectator.
The Prospects
Announcing the Spaniard’s arrival at Eastlands, Roberto Mancini hinted:
“In signing David, we are showing the world that we are bringing the best players here and that we hope to compete to win the Premier League. When players see what is happening at Manchester City and the ambition they are attracted to what we are building and want to be a part of it.”
Opinion…
Mark
“Like Andy, I’m concerned that Silva may initially struggle to adapt to the pace and strength on show in the Premier League. Silva’s slight frame will invite the early tackle and the more agricultural full-backs won’t stand on ceremony while Silva looks to show off a repetoire of tricks.
The Eastlands pitch will offer him room to breathe however and I expect to be a key player in home matches with opponents bus parking on arrival. I’m expecting Silva to be a victim of rotation away from home then so I feel he’ll struggle to reach the 30-start mark in his first season, particularly if he takes time to adapt.
True to the manager’s word, two days later Yaya Toure also joined the club…With Martin Petrov, Benjani and Sylvinho already released on free transfers, the money-no-object ethos of the owners means that more players will be leaving to allow for further big-money acquisitions. Given that both players occupy the same position, the capture of Silva may also suggest that Mancini is finally prepared to allow Robinho to seek new employment, following the Brazilian’s poor form and obvious failure to settle.
Mancini’s intended formation for City next season will become more apparent with every new signing, but there’s every chance Silva will play wide left up front in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape, with last season’s outstanding front man Carlos Tevez firmly part of the plan. With the club still being strongly linked with Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli and James Milner, question marks against the first-team chances of Craig Bellamy, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Adam Johnson, Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor must surely be raised.
The Fantasy Premier League (FPL) have priced Silva at £9m, which, given that he’s new to the league and may take a few games to settle, is surely something of a gamble initially. With City fourth-highest scoring team in the 2009/10 Premier League season with 73 goals, Silva will definitely have opportunities to plunder goals next term and, given his ability, we can also expect him to hoover up assists. However, the wait-and-see transfer policy was invented for someone like Silva. For now we can sit back and examine how Silva fares during City’s tricky opening run of games and, while he’ll be on many a watchlist come August, it will likely take signs of a settled lineup from Manicini and a spurt of form from Silva, to tempt major investment.