Monaco’s Silva To Join Man City

Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva is to join Manchester City from French champions Monaco on July 1, the English Premier League club announced Friday.

Silva’s arrival is the first high-profile signing by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

City gave no indication of the length of Silva’s contract nor did they specify a fee, although British media reports suggested they had paid around £43 million ($55 million, 49 million euros) for the 22-year-old.

Manchester United were also said to be interested in signing Silva but it was the Etihad Stadium club he opted for after flying into Manchester Airport on Thursday.

“It feels great. To be honest I’m now at one of the best teams in the world. To be part of this club and to have this opportunity is great,” Silva told City’s website.

“I’m very happy to be part of Manchester City’s team and I look forward to trying to do my best to help the team reach their goals.

“Of course when you have the opportunity of being trained by Guardiola, you don’t say no. If not the best coach in the world, he is one of the best.

“As we all know, what he did in Barcelona and Bayern Munich was amazing and we expect also here that he will win titles. It’s great to be working with him and to have this opportunity.”

Spaniard Guardiola recently cleared out four senior players including winger Jesus Navas and defender Gael Clichy after the club finished a distant third behind Premier League champions Chelsea this term.

As well as Navas and Clichy, goalkeeper Willy Caballero and Bacary Sagna were also deemed surplus to requirements by Guardiola, with it having long been apparent that Pablo Zabaleta, who signed for English top-flight rivals West Ham on Friday, was on his way out.