PEP GUARDIOLA HAS vowed to keep Bernardo Silva at Manchester City for as long as he is manager, with the £43.5 million addition set to be given time in which to prove his worth.
Questions have been asked of the 23-year-old following a big-money arrival at the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2017.
He was snapped up after shining for Monaco during their Ligue 1 title-winning campaign, while also impressing on an international stage with Portugal.
Premier League leaders City are yet to see the best of him, but that is due to fierce competition for places and he has still appeared in 39 of 41 fixtures this season — more than anybody else.
Guardiola retains full belief in Silva and has moved to rule out any chance of a talented playmaker being moved on, telling reporters: “When he played he’s played top.
“He’s a young guy, he’s a guy in the locker room who we are so happy to have here.
“He’ll stay a long time, while I’m here he will not move on, he will stay with me.
“I haven’t seen him sad, even for one day — always in a good mood, and you cannot imagine how important that is.
“When he didn’t play too much, you cannot imagine how important he is in the locker room and he’s this kind of guy, his mood is always in the right place.”
While Silva has been unable to make the same kind of impact as the likes of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling this season, he has contributed five goals and five assists across all competitions.
With many of his appearances having come from off the bench, that return suggests there is more to come once a proven performer is fully settled in new surroundings.
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