So rife has the speculation been surrounding one of Valencia and Spanish footballs most coveted stars, David Silva, that you could name almost any of the big clubs that dominate European football and discover that at some point over the past six months, they have been strongly linked with a move for the classy playmaking winger.
Silva’s effervescent midfield promptings and dazzling footwork have seen him become a vital performer for both his club and the Spanish national team and his consistently high performances, both domestically and internationally, have led to a whole host of potential suitors, all eager and willing to pay debt-ridden Valencia a king’s ransom to secure the services of the talented 23 year old. Sky Sports News has reported Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have earmarked the player for a £25m swoop during the January transfer window to bring him to the Premier League with Manchester United, whilst reports from Italy’s press also suggest that AC Milan are willing to make Los Che a similar offer for the player to take him to the San Siro and Serie A.
However any potential deal may depend on Silva’s willingness to trade the sunny climes of eastern Spain for life abroad. Silva revealed last week in the News of the World that he had turned down a lucrative move in the summer stating :
“It is true that there was a bid from a big English club”
“If it was only a question of money then I would have accepted the move.”
“Things can change in the future but right now, I am happy in Valencia and I did not have sufficient motive to leave.”
Silva’s loyalty to his club has certainly galvanised his teammates as they have managed a 100% start to the Spanish season after two games, including an impressive 4-2 away victory at Valladolid at the weekend, where Silva opened the scoring for Valencia after just 12 minutes. Currently Los Che sit third in the table on goal difference behind Spanish football’s giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and it seems that Valencia’s continuing success on the field lies primarily in their ability to hang onto star players like David Villa, Juan Mata and perhaps most of all, David Silva who was described by Valladolid coach Jose Luis Mendilibar as a “great player” and “one of the very best in world football.”
A quick glimpse of this video will perhaps add further credence to this view:
[youtube bWJJ_Nb4G1U]
Silva’s wonderful vision, creativity and wonderful close control in tight spaces means that he is a natural complement to the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas in the Spanish midfield. However in addition to this, Silva’s greatest asset perhaps is that he is capable of creating something from nothing, either from wide areas or in a more central role, turning a meaningless move into a real chance for his team by an injection of pace, invention or quality that few players in the world today can equal. Allied to that is a tireless work ethic and suddenly his slight frame and diminutive stature, pointed out by some critics as his biggest drawback, become a trifling issue.
£25m for Silva could well be the best piece of business any manager could do during the January transfer window and it is certain that many more clubs will join the list of Manchester United, AC Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City as fully confirmed admirers of this unique creative talent.
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