City star’s contract a cause for Mancini to worry

David Silva is still to agree a contract extension at Man City as links to Real Madrid refuse to go away.

City are 6/4 favourites to win the Premier League following their second successive away day draw at Stoke and, based on the lack of chances created, they can ill afford to lose the Spanish schemer.

Silva laid on 23 goals for his teammates in City’s title-winning 2011/12 campaign, as well as scoring eight himself. He’s yet to get off the mark on both fronts this term which could suggest the Madrid link is playing on his mind.

However, with the Spanish champions having already splashed out to acquire another playmaker with Premier League pedigree in Luka Modric, it seems unlikely they will be extorted to recruit a second.

Given the immense talent that Real are currently stockpiling and Jose Mourinho’s tendency to avoid squad rotation, there’s surely no place for Silva at the Bernabeu. Mesut Ozil and Modric are two of Europe’s best playmakers, whereas Xabi Alonso can pick a pass with the best of them too.

The mammoth transfer fee a player of Silva’s calibre would command also indicates that the move is unlikely to happen. A World Cup winner and two-time European champion, with some domestic accolades to boot, Real would have to add a couple more millions onto the reported £33m they shelled out for Modric.

City’s financial muscle can provide Silva with as lucrative a contract as he would get in Madrid, if not more so, and they are guaranteed to be in the mix for trophies for season’s to come.

Despite his poor form so far this season, Silva remains one of City’s main men which would not be the case at a club of Real’s stature, where he would have to play second fiddle to the enormous egos boasted by Cristiano Ronaldo and co.

For all these reasons, refusing to sign a City contract in favour of Real would be an idiotic move on the Spanish international’s behalf. He’d be much better served signing on and switching his focus back to producing the high standards of last season.

All odds and markets correct as of time of publication