Man City announce plans for David Silva statue at Etihad Stadium

Manchester City have announced plans to build a statue in honour of David Silva, who is leaving the club this summer.

The statue, which will be erected outside their Etihad Stadium home, will pay tribute to the Spanish midfielder as he departs the club after 10 years with the Premier League side.

City have announced they will also dedicate a training pitch with a bespoke mosaic to Silva at their City Football Academy.

Silva, who has been heavily linked with a move to Lazio on a free transfer, played his last game of a stellar career at City as they were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Lyon.

The playmaker was privately informed of the plans to build the statue by City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak following his final Premier League game against Norwich in July.

Having last year announced a similar plan to celebrate the contribution made by former club captain Vincent Kompany, City say they will unveil Silva’s tribute following that of the former Belgian captain, which is currently being sculpted. Both will be unveiled in 2021.

The mosaic, meanwhile, has already been completed, and features Silva's contribution to the 6-1 defeat of rivals Manchester United in 2011. It will be unveiled as soon as government guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic allow, and Silva is able to travel to Manchester for the inauguration, the club said.

Al Mubarak said in a statement: “David Silva is a transformational player; a quiet leader who has acted quietly and deliberately and inspired everyone around him, from the youngest academy player to his senior team-mates over the past 10 years.

"He has put a stamp on the team, on this club, its history and even the Premier League as a whole.

"In doing so he has been instrumental to the beautiful football philosophy you see today. He was the start of it.

"As with Vincent before him, David’s statue will act as a lasting reminder of the wonderful moments that he gave us, not only as an incredible footballer, but as an inspiring ambassador who represented this football club with great dignity at all times.”

 A World Cup winner and twice European champion with his native Spain, Silva played an integral role in City’s recent history

In 436 appearances, he won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.