David Silva joined Manchester City from Valencia. The year was 2010 and since then nor the player or club have looked back. A fee of £26million was reported to be the amount paid as of today looks a total steal going back a decade or so.
His contribution has been one phenomenal and his ability to just glide into every system and approach done by several managers during his days at Man City must be seen as his greatest advantage.
Reports about the 33 year old seeing an end of his time with Man City coming after the season finish, is of course sad news, with the player probably more years to offer. The main target and goal must to be to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time.
Silva, with 282 league appearances played, in those scored 54 goals, must be seen up there alongside, Colin Bell, Bert Trautman and Tony Book, among those seen as the greatest players ever.
Four Premier League winner medals, a World Cup and two Euro’s to add to that alongside the trophies from the FA Cup’s and EFL Cup’s makes him a player to really count in the “hall of fame”.
Silva officially retired from the international scene of the game in 2018, playing 125 games for Spain, in which he scored 35 goals.
This season one trophy is already in the cabinet, winning the Community Shield, and as we have seen the PL season is well on the road to another thrilling top place position under the management of Pep Guardiola.
Sadly for every Man City fan, David Silva, announced just before the season start that the 2019/20 will be his last in the sky blue colors.
He is still very important for his manager who have of course fielded his “little” diamond in the opening games in the Premier League season. Two good away wins against Bournemouth and West Ham and a draw at home to Tottenham, playing with total domination in all 90 minutes.
10 goals scored and only 2 let in for Man City in the PL, shows a new and great season is on, now also ready to compete in the Champions League campaign, drawn again.
Alexis Sanchez looks to have completed a move to Inter Milan. His fellow teammate at Manchester United, Matteo Darmian is another likely to be leaving Old Trafford. Darmian has been chased by a number of clubs, with Roma, Atalanta and AC Milan suggested as possible places to move.
Birmingham City defender Mitchell Roberts is a target for Celtic. The youngster is one of the promising prospects of the Championship as Liverpool are among those being closely linked.
Rangers midfielder Graham Dorrans is a target for Kilmarnock in their chase for new faces in front of the transfer deadline.
Chris Smalling could also be on his way out of Manchester United with Roma being interested in a loan move for the England international.
Roma looks desperate to land a quality defender, with Dejan Lovren of Liverpool a possible target, but that will not stopp them from also going after Chris Smalling.
Arsenal youngster Sam Greenwood could get a shock move to Juventus as excitement grows in front the final day of that transfer window being open.
Neymar is still in the news, with a possible return to Barcelona in the mill. Real Madrid looks totally out of the picture.
Asmir Begovic is no longer happy at Bournemouth, and ready to seek out a chance to play for another club. He has not been able to settle his battles with manager Eddie Howe and is no longer a first choice with The Cherries.
Celtic are seeing Leicester City winger, Fousseni Diabatte as a possible addition. Diabatte spent last season on loan in Turkey, and not likely to feature for the foxes this term and a move would be welcomed by the player.
Gideon Mensah is also a target for Neil Lennon, who looks for new players in most areas. The Salzburg full back is had a possible move to Barcelona on his hands, but it fell through, and a move elsewhere could be interesting.
There will be no sale for Sheffield Wednesday defender Morgan Fox. The player looks likely to stay on with The Owls and wait for the next window to see a move to the Premier League possible. Celtic has made no secret bout their interest.
A stranger transfer window with English clubs not able to anything else than to let players leave in this period of time. With other European nations still having time to settle their business, it’s weird that this is happening, not really giving the Premier League clubs any benefits.
Rakeem Harper and Oliver Burke are both seen as long term members of the West Bromwich Albion squad, with current manager Slaven Bilic not considering those two to be selling objects.
Atletico Club Banfield is a club in Argentina, settled and founded by Brits and Irishmen in the late 19th century, and for many decades a professional team of the top division. They are also seen as one of those most special talent factories in the suburbs of Buenes Aires.
The name of the city Banfield is based on the first general manager of the British owned Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, Edward Banfield. The railway station of the City was opened in 1873. The first plot of land was advertised for sale and extensive development took place from the 1880’s and upwards.
The football club was established in 1896 and over the years practiced other sports, as of today, boxing, chess, field hockey, futsal, gymnastics, handball, roller skating, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.
Banfield became a “home” of many British and Irish settlers and by that traditions were taken on seeing British inspired houses and of course street names and the name of this sports atletic club.
Banfield is today the only club still running, and part of AFA, with a title won in the 19th century, being crowned champions in 1899. The club fielded mostly British born players at the time. The club had it’s up’s and down’s under management and club presidents who all were Brits, until the first World War.
A number of the players, who were British Origin were enrolled in The British Army and send to the battlefront in Europe. Banfield returned to the top flight in 1919, and ended runners-up to Boca Juniors and had several good moments under the leadership of legendary George Burton, a president at the club for 20 years until his death in 1928.
Argentinian football was professionalized in the 1930’s, with Banfield being among those clubs, but not really getting anyway, struggling at most and seeing a lot of change and problems until the 1940’s when they moved to their arena of today, Florencio Sola. The team of the 1940 season also had a great influence, being called “The Drill”, that becoming the nickname of the club.
The up’s and downs were many during their next years, both financially and from a sporting point of view. They went up and down between the 1st and 2nd tier, and that has continued. But the club would see some sun on the horizon when they in 2009 won the Argentinian championship in close contention with their rivals, The Newell’s Old Boys, and a new title winner in Argentinian football were seen, Banfield.
The club had to see yet another relegation in 2011, but is now back in the top flight since 2013. Matias Almeyda was the manager, he left the club in 2015, and today former Chelsea forward Hernan Crespo is in charge, taking in 2018.
The season is early on, just four games played and Banfield are curtently in an 18th position, with only 3 points gathered. Last season ended as 16, with 26 clubs participating in the Argentina Super Liga last season.
Going back to that special 2008/09 season, top goalscorer was the Uruguayan Santiago Silva, who netted 22 goals in 35 league appearances while on loan. Silva is a great traveller in football, mostly seen in South American clubs, but has had stints in Europe, playing for Fiorentina (Italy), Energie Cottbus (Germany) and Beira-Mar (Portugal).
Going back looking at their history you will find a number of very known footballers who have played in the Banfield jersey. Javier Zanetti, the legendary captain of Inter Milan, was signed from Banfield, playing here from 1993 to 1995.
Hector Veira played for Banfield, one excentric character, Argentina international and a title winning coach for River Plate and San Lorenzo. The now 73 year old was also the chief coach of Bolivia, managing among others also Newell’s Old Boys and Cadiz in Spain.
One of the clubs real icons is Javier Sanguinetti. The now 48 year old former defender, played an astonishing record tally of 462 league games for Banfield, during a 14 year period from 1994 to 2008. He later moved into management, started as an assistant at Banfield. Today he is in charge of Sol de America, a top tier team in Paraguay.
Another central defender, Pablo Paz, is also a previous player at the ACB, the Argentinian international appeared in the 1998 World Cup and in Europe mostly known for his time with Tenerife, moving there from Banfield in 1996.
No one should never ever forget the fact that Columbian international and Real Madrid star James Rodrigues represented Banfield from 2008 to 2010, being in the team that won that special championship back in 2009.
Another player from that era is Nicolas Bertolo, who today is back at Banfield, with the winger seen at clubs such as Palermo and Zaragoza. Juan Cazares, an Equador international, is also to be named, playing on loan at Banfield in 2017.
Julian Carranza (19) is one of the young up and coming players to watch, making a move to Inter Miami, but will continue to play for Banfield as long as David Beckham’s club is still not in play. The Argentina U.17 international is a player with astonishing skills. The young forward Agustin Urzi is another name to look for in the next years to come, playing allready at the age of 19 in the Argentina U.23 set up.
Renato Civelli is an experience defender who joined Banfield from Lille in 2017, he has a long life in football with the 33 year old being with a past also at Nice and Bursaspor.
The life of this club in the suburbs of Buenos Aires is a fascinating following, as they are competing in the top flight of Argentinian football, being seen in a district so closed connected to the very early roots of football, as most of it all being introduced by the people who started the modern game of this fascinating sport, being played with a ball, in fact it’s round and white.
