Former Manchester City star Oleksandr Zinchenko has named David Silva as the best player he’s ever played with.
Silva, who recently announced his retirement from football, departed City in 2020, and is one of the greatest players in the history of the club, having made 436 appearances and winning four Premier League titles.
Zinchenko, who joined Arsenal last year, named Silva as the best he’s played with without a moment’s hesitation. The Ukraine international has lined up alongside him as a left-back and as a midfielder, with the Spaniard often supporting him on the left-hand side.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on the FIVE podcast, Zinchenko claimed that whilst City have had a lot of top players during his time at the club, Silva is undoubtedly the best.
“David Silva, but honestly, I love the others so much like Vincent, Aguero, Fernandinho, the list is there, but if you want me to choose one, David,” he stated.
“Oh my gosh, I never seen this in my life. I’m so lucky that I played a bit with him and Leroy on the left side. You give David any ball, his first touch will always be right.
“You played against him many times, always right touch,” he told Ferdinand.
“He’s not a super-fast player but he’s always in front of us, open, because he’s always in the right position. He reads the game on another level.”
High praise from Zinchenko
Zinchenko, who made 128 appearances for City, has played alongside some incredible players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Sergio Aguero, who all have arguments in their favour of being the best, or best technically that he has played with.
However, Silva stands above the rest because of the combination of his footballing brain and magnificent technique, and Zinchenko will have been one of the main beneficiaries of his presence in midfield.
City’s left-hand side would see Zinchenko push up in his inverted fullback role to join Silva in midfield, and the two would help unlock Leroy Sane to allow the German winger to attack the box with the ball.
It sums up just how good Silva was, that three years after his departure from City, he is still considered the best of a world-class bunch of players.
