According to a recent report by the Times, veteran Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to extend his contract at Manchester City until the end of the current Premier League campaign. It has been accepted around the Etihad Stadium now that their Spanish midfield magician is going to depart at the end of the season. Still, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing football to an abrupt halt, there is a lack of clarity surrounding the contract situation of some players.
It has been suggested in the report that the Manchester City man’s current contract with Pep Guardiola’s team runs only until the end of June. With Premier League football not expected to return at least until next month, it’s unlikely that the end of June will leave enough time for the season to be completed. In that case, the fact that David Silva could sign a short-term extension will come as fantastic news to Manchester City fans. The Times have also conveyed that this could present the Spaniard “one last chance of winning the Champions League”.
What Was Manchester City’s Situation Before The Stoppage Of Football?
The Citizens were undoubtedly not having the best campaign in terms of domestic football, owing to the sheer dominance that was being displayed by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. The Sky Blues were a whopping 25 points off the Merseyside club when the season was halted, meaning that even their one game in hand would be unlikely to cause any miracles in the Premier League. More worryingly, Leicester City, in 3rd, are just four points behind the reigning champions, and given the form Leicester had been in, it wouldn’t be past their powers to give it one final push.
Pep Guardiola did have a couple of things going for him at the time, with them defending the Carabao Cup title with a victory against Aston Villa. Also alive and kicking in the FA Cup after a win against Sheffield Wednesday, that’s another trophy that the Citizens could still look to target. Even with this in mind though, the biggest target for the Manchester City players and staff alike will be the Champions League.
A brilliant first-leg win against Real Madrid at the Spanish capital was the perfect setup for the return leg in a couple of weeks time, and that fixture, now expected to be played out in August, could have massive implications of the European footballing scene.
What Would David Silva Offer To This Manchester City Side?
There’s isn’t even a remote need to get into the Spaniard’s skill-set, as David Silva has already proven over the years that there’s not much that he can’t do with the ball at his feet. What Guardiola will be after instead, is the sheer amount of experience and tactical know-how that he would add in the middle of the park. The veteran midfielder has been a crucial member of this Manchester City squad for just under a decade now, and his overall contributions simply cannot be quantified.
David Silva Could Sign A Short-Term Extension: Should Pep Guardiola Sanction It?
David Silva, despite being 34-years-old now, has picked up an impressive tally of three goals and seven assists from his 19 league fixtures. A veteran of more than 100 appearances for Spain over the years, it would be astonishing if the Citizens somehow managed to clinch the Champions League title without his presence.
With that said though, it’s worth conceding that having a player of Silva’s quality in the roster immediately increases the probability of the team securing silverware at the end of the season. The Champions League is the one trophy that has eluded Silva. Given the circumstances, Guardiola needn’t think twice about sanctioning a short-term extension for the Spaniard until the end of the season.
