After falling 15 points short of the Premier League title in his debut campaign, Pep Guardiola has acted quickly this summer to avoid a second trophy-less season with Manchester City. The Citizens’ rumoured acquisition of Brazilian shot-stopper Ederson will be their second after the Manchester outfit secured the services of 22-year-old Bernardo Silva earlier this month.
The Portuguese midfielder was brought in from Monaco for £43 million off the back of a sensational title-winning campaign with the French club and many are tipping the youngster to have a serious impact in the Premier League next season. There’s little evidence to suggest otherwise.
“Manchester City was an offer I could not refuse,” were some of the first words Premier League followers heard from the midfielder. Perhaps it was more the managerial influence as opposed to an attraction to the club though, with Silva following it up with, “of course when you have the opportunity of being trained by Guardiola, you don't say no.”
It seems, at first glance, that the pair are to have a mutually-beneficial relationship. Guardiola is much the visionary when it comes to playing football to a standard of aesthetic excellence and the industrious yet panache talent of Silva will only reciprocate this vision on the pitch. In short, Silva epitomises everything Guardiola loves in football and that’s a recipe for success.
In terms of tactical set-up, the Portuguese claimed, “He [Guardiola] sees me on the right or in the middle. I can play both positions, but also on the left if necessary”. The 22-year-old is exceptionally versatile and, as he rightfully suggests, is capable of playing across the entire frontline. This will become increasingly important as the season progresses and will perhaps give him the edge ahead of the likes of Leroy Sané, Raheem Sterling and perhaps even his namesake David Silva.
Bernardo Silva created the second most chances in the Monaco side last term (59), contributing eight goals and nine assists from midfield, fueling Europe’s most potent attack domestically and in Europe. After making the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League this term, and dispatching new club City in the process, Silva certainly has the experience of top-level football and excelled when the pressure mounted, scoring twice in Europe’s elite competition as well.
City themselves may not have excelled in any competition throughout the 2015/16 campaign, but they did have the highest average possession of any Premier League side (59%), as well as the best passing accuracy (86%). This style of play demands players capable of keeping possession in the final third and Silva basically has magnets in his boots, proving time and time again how adept he is with the ball at his feet.
If his playing style and the statistics are not evidence enough that Silva is the ideal fit for the Manchester club, then his attitude certainly is.
The Portuguese oozes modesty, with himself and traditional Monaco life a striking oxymoron. Whilst the majority of modern footballers enjoy every luxury they can get their hands on, Silva has spent his last few seasons living in a small, one-bedroom flat, hanging clothes out to dry on his balcony and it is this grounded approach that proves it really is all about football.
On the pitch, there are few players more intellectual and more instrumental than Silva. A former coach of his whilst with the Benfica youth set-up claimed, “He always knew that he could never win the physical battle because he was always the smallest and lightest so he always wondered how to avoid the challenges.”
With the ball at his feet, the midfield virtuoso is capable of dictating the speed at which his team operates and, once this is under his control, he will either run at the defence, unravel the back-line with a defence-splitting pass or play it short; he is sensational, yet sensible.
It all sounds reminiscent of an existing player and that’s exactly why the signing of Bernardo Silva makes so much sense, he is the heir to his namesake’s throne. The 31-year-old David Silva is no spring chicken but still has an abundance of skill and knowledge in his locker to offload onto the already-competent Bernardo and it’s partnerships like these which Pep will be looking to build.
City undoubtedly suffered when the Spaniard was sidelined this term; their game-play focuses on pressing high and leaving gaps behind and they were caught out when their players couldn’t keep possession of the ball. Bernardo is coming in at the perfect time to diffuse such situations and provide ideal cover for David.
Along with the detailed analytics and striking statistics, there are two main reasons why the Portuguese is destined for success in Manchester; his age and the timing of the signing. At 22 year old, he has plenty of time to develop and Guardiola, provided he is given time, is the perfect candidate to work with a young playmaker like Silva.
Having snapped him up before the transfer window has even opened, City also have time to integrate him into the side ahead of the new season, meaning he can partake in pre-season and team-bonding exercises before the start of the domestic campaign.
