In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Manchester City playmaker David Silva revealed that the next campaign would be his last when he said, ‘This is the last one.
‘Ten years for me is enough. It’s the perfect time.
‘Initially the club were talking about two years (contract) but I decided to sign another one so I finished at 10 years.
‘It completes the cycle. It’s a nice round figure. I can never see myself playing against City for another team. So 10 years — that’s it!’
This recent revelation from the Spaniard means that Pep Guardiola would need to find a suitable replacement who can fill in the massive shoes of Silva for the next decade. The 33-year-old has enjoyed a glorious career in European football and have won a lot of silverware to show for his efforts.
However, he is slowing down with each season, so it only seems logical for him to call an end to his Man City career. However, it won’t be easy to replace the Spanish star as there are hardly any options available in the transfer market who can fit into that creative role.
Here are three alternatives for Guardiola to consider during the summer transfer period who can come in and fill Silva’s void for the long-term.
Dusan Tadic
The 30-year-old playmaker had a terrific season last term when he led Ajax to another league title and a semi-final berth in the UEFA Champions League where they were eventually knocked out by Tottenham Hotspur in a heart-breaking fashion.
The Serbian international scored 38 goals while grabbing 24 assists in 56 appearances for the Eredivisie outfit across all competitions. His numbers tell the story, and at 30, he still has a few good years left in his tank to perform at a high level. He will be an ideal replacement for Silva but only on a short-term basis.
Nabil Fekir
The Frenchman is one of the most creative players in the Ligue 1 and has performed well for Olympique Lyonnais over the past couple of seasons. The 25-year-old had a sensational 2017-18 season, but his numbers seem to have dried up in the previous campaign. Fekir scored 12 goals and grabbed nine assists in 39 matches for Lyon last season.
He is undoubtedly a player who can fill David Silva’s shoes at Manchester for the next decade. Last month, there were talks of Man City being interested in Fekir, but that rumour has since died down.
Bruno Fernandes
The Portuguese sensation couldn’t stop scoring in the recently concluded Liga NOS campaign as he registered 32 goals while creating 18 assists in 53 matches across multiple competitions. He could be a remarkable addition to Guardiola’s midfield if the Man City boss can find a way to lure him to the Etihad in this off-season.
Similar to Fekir, he will be a signing for the long-run. Already City are interested in the midfielder with Man United favourites to land him.
