Former Manchester City midfielder David Silva tests positive for coronavirus on first day as Real Sociedad player

Spanish club announce a positive Covid-19 test for new boy hours after his unveiling at a press conference

epa08637412 A handout picture made available by Real Sociedad shows Spanish midfielder David Silva during his presentation as a new player of the team, in San Sebastian, northern Spain, 31 August 2020.  EPA/- UT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
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Former Manchester City midfielder David Silva has tested positive for coronavirus on the day he was unveiled at new club Real Sociedad.

The 34-year-old joined Sociedad on a free transfer earlier this month but returned a positive Covid-19 test after arriving at San Sebastian.

The La Liga club said it was Silva's second test within 72 hours since landing in Spain, having previously tested negative.

Sociedad's new boy had been unveiled by the club only hours before the announcement.

The Spaniard, a former World Cup and European Championship winner, left Man City at the end of his contract before signing a two-year deal with Sociedad.

He is self-isolating and is displaying no symptoms, the club said.

Silva's new teammate Mikel Oyarzabal has also contracted the virus and was replaced in Luis Enrique's Spain squad by Villarreal forward Gerard Moreno.

Spain face Germany in their Nations League opener in Stuttgart on Thursday, before hosting Ukraine three days later.

The 2020/21 La Liga campaign gets underway on September 12.

Earlier in the day, Silva had been talking about targeting more silverware after returning to Spain.

epa08637410 A handout photo made available by 
 Real Sociedad shows Spanish midfielder David Silva as he delivers a press conference during his presentation as a new player of the team, in San Sebastian, northern Spain, 31 August 2020.  EPA/-  HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
David Silva at his unveiling as a Real Sociedad player. EPA

After a trophy-laden 10-year stay at City, he told a press conference that he was in no mood to ease himself quietly towards retirement.

He said: "The team is playing some great football and I hope to add to that here and have some great years at the club.

"I have high expectations in terms of the football we'll be playing and I think we can compete for silverware.

"I've been lucky enough to win a lot of things in my career. I'm very competitive and I'm going to try and do the same here because that's why I've been brought in."

Silva, for so long a part of City's as yet unrequited quest for Champions League glory, will play in the Europa League next season courtesy of Sociedad's sixth-placed finish in La Liga, and that is a prospect he is relishing.

He said: "Of course, after so many years of playing in Europe, you want to continue doing that. I also came because I like the style of football the team plays."

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