Pep Guardiola received a belated gift when he replaced Manuel Pellegrini to become Manchester City manager in 2016.
The coach had been keen to sign a young midfielder called David Silva when he was in charge of Barcelona, especially when Valencia manager Unai Emery recommended the player.
As Guardiola tells it, the fact that Silva was "so expensive" contributed to a move never happening but the pair will have worked together for four years by the time the Spaniard calls time on his City career next summer .
Silva has encountered doubts about his ability to thrive in English football ever since he arrived in 2010 but the 33-year-old has spent a decade proving that talent on the ball and intelligence can make up for any physical disadvantage and remains a key part of the side.
With the announcement that Silva will not sign another contract at the Etihad, Guardiola wants everyone to make the most of the playmaker for the remaining year of his deal.
“We have to enjoy him in the year that he has left,” the manager told Sky Sports .
“He has been one of the greats not only in Spanish football, but in European football as well.
“He has played for 10 years in Manchester and it is not easy to perform in that league for someone with his qualities. He has done incredibly well. He helped me personally, he has helped us a lot in these three years we have been together,”
“We have another year more and I hope we can live another good year together.”
