Manchester City are considering a one-off farewell match for David Silva, should he leave the club before the Premier League season can finish.
Silva has been one of the most effective playmakers in the world since signing from Valencia in 2010, making over 400 appearances and helping them to four Premier League titles.
Now 34, he announced ahead of time that he would be leaving the club when his deal ends in the summer, at the end of his tenth season at the Etihad. In recognition of his exemplary service, City had planned to see him off in style, with their final match of the season against Norwich on 17 May set to effectively serve as a testimonial.
Missing you my dear friend ⚽️殺#stayhome #staysafe pic.twitter.com/tXHPOCAhy2
— David Silva (@21LVA) April 4, 2020
However, it now looks almost certain that that match won't go ahead on time due to the coronavirus crisis, and with English football now postponed indefinitely, it looks doubtful that the fixture will even be squeezed in before Silva's deal expires on 30 June.
The risk, then, is that Silva could leave City without a farewell occasion. And according to the Mail, that is unacceptable to the club, who are planning a contingency.
The report claims that, should Silva leave without the planned celebration taking place, then they are giving serious thought to hosting a one-off match at a later date that would allow him to draw a line under his illustrious career in Manchester.
It would perhaps be a similar event to Vincent Kompany's testimonial in September, in which Silva featured as a Manchester City legends XI took on an 'All Star' team that featured Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
Silva's departure from City has been public knowledge since the summer but it's not yet clear where he will play his football next. He's not expected to be hanging up his boots just yet, and reports as far back as December claim he is a target for David Beckham's ambitious project at Inter Miami.
Source : 90min