Bernardo Silva transfer decision will only further cement his Manchester City status

With a swivel of the hips, a deft jink inside from the right flank and, while the rest of play stood still, having the composure to caress the ball into the corner, Bernardo Silva drew further comparisons with his Manchester City namesake.

For 13 years City fans have idolised a player called Silva when few others held the name on a pedestal. David, the first Mediterranean maestro to arrive at the Etihad, was initially viewed as lightweight, a player who would inevitably struggle with the rigours of English football.

James Milner, Yaya Toure and Mario Balotelli joined the club that same summer but Silva would make the biggest impression. The guile to dance past two Blackpool players and curl his first Premier League goal beyond Matthew Gilks in October 2010 bore a striking resemblance to Bernardo’s recent effort against Everton.

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The comparisons go further than the surname. Left-footed and diminutive but capable of running a game on their own, perhaps the biggest shame is how both Silvas are underrated. When ranking the pantheon of all-time great midfielders in the Premier League, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira et al are among the familiar faces. Pub tables ignite across the country whenever the Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard or Paul Scholes debate is raised. At City, nobody underestimates the importance of their pair of Silvas.

"I think he's very underrated," former teammate Ilkay Gundogan said about Bernardo two years ago. "He puts so much effort into everything he does on the pitch to make it easier for us, not