David Silva signs new five year deal; Eliaquim Mangala becomes the most expensive Premier League defender
Manchester City midfielder David Silva has signed a new five year contract to stay at the Etihad until 2019.
Silva, 28, has become the third City player to agree a new deal this summer after Samir Nasri, 27, and Aleksandar Kolarov, 28, penned five and four year deals respectively.
Silva arrived at City in 2010 as a World Cup winner with Spain and lifted the FA Cup in his first season while helping City qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
He lifted the Premier League trophy the following season and helped City regain the title at the end of last season under new City manager Manuel Pellegrini.
The Spanish international spoke of his joy at extending his stay in Manchester. He said:
“From the moment I joined the club four years ago it has felt like a second home to me.
“On and off the pitch, I feel incredibly content and fulfilled professionally and personally, so why wouldn’t I want to stay and keep winning trophies with this fantastic team?
“It was a straightforward decision to extend my stay here and spend my peak years at Manchester City, a club with unbelievable fans who have always supported me.”
City have also been busy in the transfer market, with six signings this summer so far.
Bacary Sagna, Fernando, Willy Caballero, Bruno Zuculini, and Frank Lampard were signed before the arrival of Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala yesterday.
Mangala, 23, was signed for £32m yesterday after a protracted saga in which City had to resolve ownership issues with Porto and a variety of parties who had an interest in Mangala.
The Frenchman has agreed a five year deal and will become the Premier League’s most expensive defender and the world’s second most expensive defender behind Paris Saint Germain’s David Luiz.
Luiz’ former boss, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, had previously stated that he felt Mangala was overpriced and the London club could now be set to bid on Roma defender Mehdi Benatia.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini was undeterred by the price tag and the complicated legal issues surrounding Mangala, although City had been widely rumoured to be checking on the availability of Benatia as a backup in case the Mangala deal fell through. He said:
“He is already a fine player but in my opinion, he has all of the mental, physical, technical and tactical attributes to become one of Europe’s very best defenders.
“Eliaquim is a player I believe will make an immediate impact in the Premier League.”