Manchester City supporters have been making all the noise in the Transfer Tavern so far this term following their side’s incredible start to the campaign, which has set them up perfectly to challenge for major honours in the second half of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side were tipped by many to go on and win the Premier League title this season, and they have certainly made their intentions clear by winning 13 of their opening 14 league games, although their most recent victory was arguably their toughest. The Citizens took the lead against Mauricio Pellegrino’s Southampton on Wednesday night through Kevin De Bruyne, yet the visitors hit back through midfielder Oriol Romeu before Raheem Sterling’s 96th minute strike sealed the points for City, who thus maintained their eight-point lead over second place Manchester United in the Premier League table.
Consequently, there have been many delighted City fans in the Tavern so far this term, many of whom are beginning to dream about what their team could go on to achieve in the second half of the campaign, both on a domestic and European level.
Elsewhere, there has been plenty for our resident Citizens supporters to get their teeth into recently, not least recent comments from manager Guardiola which suggest that midfielder David Silva is close to signing a new deal with the North West outfit.
The 31-year-old moved to the Etihad Stadium back in 2011 and has since played 323 games for the Citizens, scoring 52 goals and laying on 111 assists to help the club to two Premier League titles.
And it looks as though the Spain international is close to penning a new contract with City, in a deal which would surely be the club’s best piece of business this season.
And that’s because Silva makes City tick in the centre of midfield, and also possesses the sort of match-winning quality and trophy-winning experience which will serve Guardiola’s side well in the second half of the campaign.
Ultimately, while the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, and Raheem Sterling are all receiving plaudits for their efforts this term (and rightly so), Silva has laid on a league-high eight assists so far this term, two more than the next-best De Bruyne and Sane.
Thus, his influence in the centre of Guardiola’s midfield is unprecedented – the diminutive Spaniard has been the beating heart of the City midfield for many years now, yet this term, alongside the excellent De Bruyne, has seen him turn it up another gear again.
Throughout his time at Eastlands, it has been widely regarded that a City team without Silva is a significantly weaker one than with the 31-year-old, and this season could see that view emphasised further given that he has the trophy-winning experience to help Guardiola’s side keep the pace in the second half of the campaign.
Of the current City side, only Aguero, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, and captain Vincent Kompany have won the title at the club, so keeping Silva is vital given that it is a relatively inexperienced squad in terms of winning silverware in England.
The fact that the 31-year-old has kept summer signing Bernardo Silva, scorer of eight goals and creator of 11 for Monaco last season, says it all about the quality he has been producing, and as such how integral he is to this City team.
And with Liverpool reportedly linked with a move for Silva in recent weeks, such is his contract situation, City know that penning him down to a new deal doesn’t just keep them strong, but it dents another rival’s hopes of improving their own squad.
And given his efforts so far this term, and how important his experience and composure will be in the second half of the campaign, securing a deal for Silva could turn out to be City’s best piece of business this season.
Man City fans… what do you think? Let us know!
