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Manchester City will mostly have to surrender the Premier League title to runaway leaders Liverpool come May, but the Blues still have plenty to look forward this season. Pep Guardiola’s men are currently on course to reach their third consecutive Carabao Cup final, have already qualified for the FA Cup fifth round and are awaiting a gigantic Champions League Round of 16 tie with Real Madrid.
But City fans will be dreading the end of the season because it will mean that their beloved David Silva will bid farewell to his illustrious 10-year stay at the club. The Spanish playmaker is labelled by some as Manchester City’s best-ever player of all time. Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany will make a case for themselves, but Silva’s impact at the club has been gargantuan.
Guardiola has already lost the likes of Kompany and Yaya Toure, two City heroes, during his managerial reign but Silva’s void will be too huge to fill. In this section, we take a look at five midfielders who could replace “El Mago” at Manchester City.
5. Martin Odegaard
Real Madrid loanee Martin Odegaard has revived himself as one of the best young players in Europe during his exciting stint at Real Sociedad. The Norwegian midfielder has scored 4 goals and racked up 5 assists in La Liga this season, spearheading his side to an impressive 6th position in the league standings.
Still only 21, Odegaard has an immense amount of potential to become one of the top midfielders in the world. Given his impeccable dribbling and creative exploits from midfield, he could be a key player in any side across the continent. He recently won Norway’s Player of the Year, showcasing the world his capability at the biggest stage.
The Real Madrid loanee could be a handy addition to the Manchester City squad given his unique talent. Guardiola’s team have recently seen the additions of many high-profile young players in recent years like Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus, Rodri and Benjamin Mendy. Odegaard would not only slot straight into the City midfield in place of David Silva, but give them a more direct approach. Other world-class City midfielders like Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne could also prove to be incredible mentors to him.
The Manchester City hierarchy should be keeping tabs on Odegaard, who could be available for €50m in the summer. However, it is more likely that he is recalled by Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid at the start of next season.
4. Jack Grealish
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has taken the Premier League by storm this season, scoring 7 goals and providing 5 assists in 22 appearances. This is the 24-year-old’s second spell in the English top-flight, having featured previously in two league seasons as a teenager for the Villains.
Dean Smith’s side are in the middle of a relegation battle, currently sitting only 2 points above the drop zone at 16th place. Aston Villa got promoted last season after what was an excellent season in the Championship, with Grealish playing a pivotal role. He has continued his outstanding form this term and could be on course to fight for the prestigious PFA Young Player of the Year award come May.
If Aston Villa are to stay up this season, it will largely come down to the playmaker’s heroics. Grealish has sparked many debates of whether he is capable enough of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Euro championships in the summer. And given his delicate dribbling, vision and knack for goals, he is an ideal attacking midfielder who, at the moment, could walk into any Premier League side.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is one of the many admirers of the Villa captain, as the Spaniard lauded his performances this season, which sparked a transfer rumour linking him with a move to the Etihad.
“He’s incredible. A top player. I’m happy he stayed in the Championship to defend his club when he could have gone. He’s a talented player who always creates something. [Grealish] is an exceptional player but too expensive for Manchester [City],” Guardiola said.
Grealish would not only naturally slot in City’s midfield given his passing range and control over the ball but will also increase the club’s quota of English players. If his price is right, City could make a swoop for him in the summer as a like-for-like replacement for David Silva.
3. Isco
If there is any player in the world who has constantly been linked with a move to Manchester City, it is Real Madrid midfielder Isco. The 27-year-old was very close in joining the Premier League heavyweights back when the club appointed Manuel Pellegrini manager at the beginning of the 2014/15 season.
The Chilean worked with Isco at Malaga, and it was heavily reported that the attacking midfielder would reunite his manager at the Etihad Stadium. However, Isco remained put at Real Madrid, and went onto win four Champions League trophies and one La Liga. In his last two league campaigns, however, the Spanish international has not been at his best form, having registered just 3 assists and 2 goals since the start of last season.
Isco has had limited game-time under Zinedine Zidane this season, with only 6 La Liga starts to his name. His only goal this term came in the Spanish Supercup semi-final against Valencia. Still only 27, the 2012 Golden Boy winner could still make strides in any top European club.
Pep Guardiola has been interested in luring Isco to City, however, no concrete contact has ever been made between the two parties. With David Silva leaving at the end of the season, Isco could be a natural replacement for his national compatriot, given his similar style of play and textbook Guardiola attributes: silky, clever and a pass-master.
2. Fabian Ruiz
One of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe right now, Napoli’s Fabian Ruiz has attracted interest from every top European club in the past couple of seasons or so. His splendid performances in Serie A also earned him a rightful place in the national team for their Euro 2020 qualification campaign.
The 23-year-old is an extremely clever and creative playmaker, and is already a like-for-like replacement for David Silva in the Spanish national team. And who’s to say that he can’t replace Manchester City’s departing magician at the club level. Pep Guardiola, according to multiple reports, is a huge admirer of Ruiz, and is urging the City hierarchy to snap up the highly-rated midfielder.
Ruiz is not an exact David Silva replica because he is significantly taller and stronger, but he has the same cultured left-foot and vision as the veteran playmaker. His long-range shooting and perfectly-weighted through balls could give Manchester City a different dimension going forward.
Guardiola would love another Spaniard amongst his ranks, given how Rodri and Eric Garcia are developing into future assets for the club. Fabian Ruiz would, therefore, take no time in settling in the squad and could back himself to succeed in the Premier League.
1. Phil Foden
Perhaps, Manchester City do not even need to resort to the transfer market to get their successor for David Silva. Pep Guardiola just needs to promote youngster Phil Foden to a starting position in the team. The 19-year-old midfielder has established himself as one of the most talented footballing teenagers in Europe and looks ready to slot into the Manchester City starting XI after Silva’s departure.
Guardiola, earlier this season, labelled the England U21 international as the “most talented player” he had ever seen. That is some compliment coming from a manager who has coached the likes of Lionel Messi. Foden has been part of the City first-team set-up for the last two seasons and is getting more and more game time with every passing week. He has started all League Cup and FA Cup cup games this season and has also featured in the Champions League 4 times, scoring 2 goals.
One statistic, however, sums up Phil Foden’s world-class potential. The attacking midfielder has created the most clear-cut chances (6) in the 2019/20 Champions League group stage, ahead of the likes of Messi, Angel Di Maria and Christian Eriksen. Guardiola has often stated that Foden is David Silva’s replacement, and will stay at the club for many years to come.
It is obvious that the teenager will play a more definitive role next season, and given his versatility, creativity and attacking instinct, the boyhood Manchester City fan could be a future legend.
