Share

It's good to have a more complete squad, says City's Silva

Cape Town - Bernardo Silva has welcomed Manchester City's acquisition of Rodri from Atletico Madrid and reckons that the midfielder's arrival means they now have a "more complete squad".

City are looking to win the Premier League title for the third straight season, having held off Liverpool by one point to land the 2018/19 spoils, and Pep Guardiola has been gradually adding to his squad.

Left-back Angelino and goalkeeper Zack Steffen have both been recruited for a combined £18 million but big outlay was made on Spain international Rodri, who arrived from Atletico Madrid for a club-record £63 million.

The midfielder is seen as the heir to Fernandinho's throne when the Brazilian decides to call it a day and Portuguese ace Silva, who was named in the PFA 2018/19 Premier League Team of the Year, believes the summer arrival will be a hit at the Etihad Stadium.

"He's only just arrived but I hope he can improve our squad," he told the club's official website.

"He had a fantastic season with Atletico and it's good to have a player in that position that we lacked. Fernandinho was the only one and then Gundogan was fantastic when he played there.

"It's good to have a more complete squad and I hope he can improve us even more."

Rodri, who has spent his entire senior career in Spain, has impressed during pre-season and he is pushing for a place in the starting XI for the season opener at West Ham United on August 10.

The Citizens have a great record against the Hammers, having won the last eight competitive matches, and they have not lost to the Londoners since October 2014.

With Pep Guardiola's squad looking even stronger this season, punters may decide to use their free bet on City getting their title defence off to the perfect start.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2246 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE