Manchester City midfielder David Silva is reportedly weighing up a move to J-League outfit Vissel Kobe, to unite with ex-Spain team-mate Andres Iniesta.
The 33-year-old has been one of the Premier League’s finest players during his nine-year stay in England, helping City win three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and four League Cups.
The one-time Spain international has racked up 393 appearances across all competitions for City and he has been a key part of the team once again throughout the 2018-19 campaign.
However, according to ESPN, Silva is now considering a surprise transfer to Japan, despite the fact that City officials still feel he is a vital part of the current squad.
The veteran midfielder is contracted to remain at the Etihad Stadium until 2020, but Vissel Kobe want to pair him up with Iniesta in the middle of the park.
The two men played alongside each other during Spain’s golden era between 2008 and 2012, winning two European Championships and the World Cup.
Silva would also link up with another former La Roja colleague in David Villa at Kobe, but ESPN states he has not yet made a final decision regarding his future.
The City playmaker has taken in over 40 appearances for Guardiola’s side this season, playing a vital role in an assault on four trophy fronts, with three still up for grabs heading into May.
It would be a huge blow for the Etihad boss to lose Silva at the end of the campaign, with very few players in world football even remotely capable of filling his boots.
The Spaniard has wowed audiences in England for the best part of a decade and his displays over the last 11 months suggest he still has plenty to offer, but the chance to start winding down his career while earning a lucrative salary could yet prove too attractive for him turn down.
