David Silva: Man City great prepares for final Premier League game

by · BBC Sport
Silva joined Man City for £24m from Valencia in July 2010

David Silva says he wouldn't change a thing about his 10 glorious years at Manchester City.

The ex-Spain playmaker, 34, will play his 309th and last Premier League match for City against Norwich on Sunday.

Silva, who has won four Premier League titles, has enjoyed one of the great careers of the modern English game.

"When I look back at everything, I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined what I would achieve," he said.

Silva has scored 60 Premier League goals since joining City from Valencia in 2010, winning the FA Cup twice and the EFL Cup five times.

He hopes to end his time with the club in the best way possible, by winning the Champions League in Lisbon in August.

Asked what advice he would have offered himself on joining City if he knew what he knows now, Silva said: "I would tell him to do things in the same way I have."

Following the departures of Yaya Toure, Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart and Vincent Kompany, Silva is the latest central component of City's 2012 title-winning squad - their first champions in 44 years - to leave the club.

Of that group, only striker Sergio Aguero will remain once Silva leaves.

Silva's final league game will be at an empty stadium because of coronavirus restrictions, but he has been assured by manager Pep Guardiola of an invite back to Manchester when fans can return, so the playmaker can receive a proper farewell.

He has won 11 major honours during the most successful period in City's history.

"When you are young, you don't dream about all of this," Silva said. "You [just] dream about becoming a professional and playing in the top flight."

Last August, Guardiola described Silva as "one of the best players I've ever seen" - yet even though he earned 125 caps for Spain and helped them to two European Championship titles and the 2010 World Cup, he only won the Premier League's player of the month award once in a decade. He has been named in the PFA team of the year twice.

Not that he seems too bothered about the lack of personal honours in England.

"I would like to be remembered as a good guy, who enjoys football," he said. "I hope the people enjoyed my football as well. It's simple."