The magician... Manchester City’s Spain midfielder David Silva has achieved success for club and country.

Spain midfielder David Silva has proved to be one of the best signings made by Manchester City in recent years.

His flair is a source of inspiration for his team-mates while most of the goals Silva has scored in the sky blue shirt have also been from the top drawer.

Silva, who can also play on the wing or as a second striker, is part of the Spanish team that won two European cham-pionships and the 2010 World Cup in the last five years.

As a youth, Silva’s hero was Michael Laudrup, the current manager of Swansea.

David Josue Jimenez Silva, nicknamed Merlin for his magic on the pitch, was born in Arguineguin, in the Canary Islands, on January 8, 1986. He played for Celta Vigo and Valencia before joining Manchester City.

After impressive loan spells with Eibar and Celta Vigo early in his career, Silva, who was spotted by Valencia playing in the Canary Islands aged 15, was hurried back to the Mestalla for the start of the 2006-07 season, replacing the departing playmaker Pablo Aimar.

Silva wasted little time in assuming creative responsibilities and linked up well with team-mate and fellow Spaniard David Villa.

Valencia, who have been hit by serious financial difficulties, managed to hold on to their star player as he was reluctant to abandon the troubled club despite the close attentions of a number of top sides.

Silva showed admirable loyalty by remaining at the club and was rewarded in 2007-08 when Valencia won the King’s Cup, thus collecting his first major trophy.

Silva spent six years of his career with Valencia, appearing in more than 150 games before the hard-up Spanish club accepted Manchester City’s attractive offer of £24 million for the Spain midfielder in 2010.

Silva, who moved to the Eastlands on a four-year deal, was given the number 21 shirt, the same number he wore for Valencia and Spain.

Following his debut season in the Premier League, Silva received praise from fellow peers.

His team-mate Carlos Tevez described the Spaniard as one of the league’s finest playmakers.

The Citizens won a major domestic honour in May 2011, defeating Stoke City at Wembley to lift the FA Cup.

Title success

Season 2011-12 will be forever remembered by the City fans after their team wrestled the championship crown from rivals Manchester United with the last kick of the season.

After a series of impressive displays at the start of the campaign, City boss Roberto Mancini compared Silva to fellow Spain internationals Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

On October 1, 2011, Silva was awarded the Premier League Player of the Month trophy for his outstanding performances, the first time ever two Manchester City players had won the award. He followed City striker Edin Dzeko who landed the award the month before.

In the first Manchester derby of the season at Old Trafford, Manchester City won 6-1 with Silva proving, once again, instrumental.

On October 25, 2011, in an interview with a Spanish radio station, Silva revealed that he turned down Barcelona and Real Madrid to sign for City where he hoped to remain for many years.

In addition to winning his first Premier League medal with Manchester City in season 2011-12, Silva also topped the assists table with 17 assists. He was one of four City players to be named in the PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year.

Although Silva continued where he had left off the season before, City stumbled again in the Champions League as they were knocked out at the group stage.

City will meet Chelsea in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and are 15 points behind rivals United in the Premiership.

International arena

Silva made his international debut in the 1-0 friendly home defeat to Romania on November 15, 2006 and was then called up to the 23-man squad for Euro 2008.

In the semi-final against Russia, Silva scored the third goal for Spain. In the final, he was involved in an incident with Germany’s Lukas Podolski and was later withdrawn by coach Luis Aragones.

Nevertheless, Silva was hailed as one of Spain’s heroes after the win.

After featuring regularly in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers – Spain won all 10 games – Silva was also included in the squad for the finals in South Africa.

Spain made history as they won the coveted trophy for the first time after beating the Netherlands in the final.

In Euro 2012, Silva started all games for Spain.

In the final against Italy, played in Kiev, the City stalwart gave Spain the lead after 14 minutes, heading home a Cesc Fabregas cross.

Spain beat Italy 4-0.

Silva was picked in the Euro 2012 team of the tournament.