Manchester City have many top players, and Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias have both been given one of their teammates his due credit.
City have potentially the best squad in football thanks to the diligent work undertaken by Txiki Begiristain and his recruitment team.
Over the years, many incredible players have come to the Etihad Stadium.
In 2017, City made one of their best signings since the 2008 takeover, and the player in question is very possibly heading for club legend status for all that he has done.
That player, is Bernardo Silva, who has come in for some high praise from his teammates Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias.
Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias hail Manchester City star Bernardo Silva ahead of Euro 2024
Bernardo joined City from AS Monaco for £43 million back in the summer of 2017, after he had just played a crucial role in their amazing Ligue 1 title win.
City already had one amazing Silva in their ranks, and fans didn’t quite realise at the time just what an incredible player this new Silva would go on to be.
The 29-year-old has never been a ‘superstar’ in the City team. He has never really been one to grab the headlines, with people like Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland the more glamourous names for editors.
Of course, he’s had praise when he’s made big contributions, but by and large, he does go under the radar.
Bernardo is an amazing workhorse, with remarkable tactical understanding and defensive discipline. But he also has the creativity to boot.
There isn’t a single thing the versatile star isn’t good at (except maybe running fast), and it’s clear Grealish and Dias adore their teammate.
In a video released on the Premier League’s YouTube channel, Grealish said: “On and off the pitch he’s a really big figure. He’s one of the captains now and as a player he’s unbelievable I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“As a person as well he’s a brilliant guy to have around. I think everyone that’s been in a dressing room with him will tell you that.”
Bernardo’s compatriot Dias added: “I always like to talk about Bernardo, a guy that is equally talented as many others, but is willing to make sacrifices for the team that not many others are willing to. That’s who Bernardo Silva is. That’s a good thing to reflect on, especially youngsters because that’s the kind of player you should be aiming for.”
One of Man City’s greatest-ever signings
It should now be widely accepted that Bernardo Silva is one of the best signings in Manchester City history.
He may be a midfielder who isn’t a major goal threat like Phil Foden, or an assist machine like Kevin De Bruyne. But there is a reason Pep Guardiola picks him for all the big games, and also a reason why he has made 355 appearances in seven seasons (which works out at an incredible 50 games per season).
The £300,000-a-week ace is absolutely integral to the way City play football today under Guardiola.
The maestro completely understands what Guardiola wants from the team, and is able to carry out whatever his manager needs from him.
City have been so successful during the Guardiola era, and Bernardo – while not always being sung as he should – has actually been front and centre of it all. He is the ultimate team player, and hopefully he will not leave the club this summer.
There has once again been more speculation about his future, and he could perhaps be on his way. It would certainly be a travesty if he moved on.