Premier League New Boy: Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Silva was linked to the red half of Manchester since Christmas but the move to Manchester City and Pep Guardiola’s playing style looks a more natural fit for him. The 22 year old Silva will join from Monaco and can play any of the attacking midfield roles behind the main forward.

With City already having a really strong selection of technical ball playing players at first glance the signing is more of the same, until you look at the City options. David Silva is now 31 and Ilkay Gundogan has had two horrific injuries in the last couple seasons. Yaya Toure is 34 and has now settled into playing the deep midfield role in the Pep system rather than the position he is well know for. Silva will freshen up the choices and in theory add energy to the city pressing game.

Its also worth pointing out Bernardo Silva played much of last season playing from the right side of the Monaco attack. While after a slow start, Leroy Sane made the left hand side his own in the City attack, Raheem Sterling failed to do so on the right hand side. Silva then is a ready made player to replace Sterling or he may rotate with David Silva in the central role should he be needed.

In his 2016/17 Ligue 1 season he played 33 times scoring 8 goals and providing 9 assists. In his 11 Champions League games he scored 2 and had 1 assist.

Fantasy implications: An average of 1.6 shots per game in a league his team dominated shows us an obvious part of his game needing development for him to be a fantasy favourite of ours. Silva also has been the classic player who assists the assister, one of the most frustrating of all fantasy players. With the likes of Sane, Gabriel Jesus and Kun he will get plenty of movement to both create assists and open space for him to shoot a little more.

Interestingly 8 of his total 10 goals came away from home and with City likely to face many a parked bus next season, it could be in the away games Silva can be better points scorer.

We did see how in the sunny opening weeks of a season that new players to the EPL can start well while the sun is out and the wind is less a factor. Of course Pep’s side will attack plenty so he could tempt as a likely cheaper way into the City attack should his pre-season sparkle.

If not and with the player needing time to adapt to a different culture, a very different weather pattern in Manchester compared to Monaco and a much more aggressive league, Silva will be on many players watch list.

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