Pep Guardiola hails 'European great' David Silva ahead of Manchester City departure

Spanish midfielder will leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of next season following 10 years at the club

David Silva has won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups so far at Manchester City. Reuters

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said David Silva will be regarded as a "European great" after the Spanish midfielder revealed he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of next season.

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Silva will end 10 years at the Etihad Stadium when he bids farewell following the conclusion of the 2019/202 season.

Having arrived from Valencia in 2010 for £25 million (Dh116.7m), Silva has been central to City's meteoric rise since the Abu Dhabi takeover, helping the club to win four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups, including last season's historic domestic treble.

On the international stage, he won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 with an all-conquering Spain side.

"We have to enjoy him in the year that he has left," fellow Spaniard Guardiola was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. "He has been one of the greats not only in Spanish football, but in European football as well.

"He has played for 10 years in Manchester and it is not easy to perform in that league for someone with his qualities. He has done incredibly well.

"He helped me personally, he has helped us a lot in these three years we have been together," Guardiola added.

"We have another year more and I hope we can live another good year together."

The new season begins on August 9 and the champions begin their title defence at West Ham United a day later.