Central Midfielder: David Silva
Over the years, the Premier League has seen some of the very best midfield talent. The likes of Gerrard, Scholes, Keane, Vieira, Xabi Alonso and Kevin de Bruyne have captured the imagination of young and old alike. One man who flies slightly under the radar, but is certainly deserving of a mention amongst these stars, is Spanish midfielder David Silva.
Trending
Silva was brought to Manchester City from Valencia as part of the Mansour revolution, and was seen as a player who could help unleash the attacking talent the owners were looking to bring in. His 2009/10 season at Valencia made for impressive reading: 8 goals and 7 assists in 30 league games, along with 1 dribble completed and 2 key passes provided per game. As a 23-year old, he was seen as a promising future prospect.
Blessed with a low centre of gravity due to his diminutive stature, Silva is able to turn opposition players swiftly and smoothly, thus enabling him to find and exploit gaps on the pitch which other players may not be able to. He is also an exceptional passer, and almost seems to glide across the pitch at times. Perhaps more of a traditional number 10, he is equally comfortable slightly deeper in midfield as well.
Since arriving in England, Silva has become part of the furniture at City. In each league campaign since 2010/11, he has notched up at least 1800 minutes. In this time, he has also never averaged less than 2 key passes per match while also averaging 1.1 dribbles per game. He has 54 goals and 83 assists in 282 league games for City, which sees him involved in a goal every 161 minutes-a figure very respectable for any top striker, let alone a midfielder. Silva was also part of the triumphant Spanish squads in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships.
Now nearly 34 years of age, Silva has announced his decision to leave Manchester City when his contract expires in the summer of 2020, leaving behind a trophy-laden spell and a legacy which City youngsters can look up to in the future.
