Ronaldo convinced me to sign for Manchester City – Silva

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva has revealed that former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was the catalyst behind his move to the Premier League. 

The 23-year-old arrived at the Etihad Stadium in May after playing an integral role in Monaco’s stunning 2016-17 season, which saw them win the Ligue 1 title and reach the Champions League semi-finals. 

Silva, who set City back a reported £43million, hopes to make a similar impact at his new club and has revealed that it was Ronaldo and another former United player who convinced him to make the switch. 

“When I was with Portugal at the Confederations Cup and about to sign, I asked Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani about the city,” Silva told FourFourTwo. 

“They told me how much they enjoyed it here. They said that all of the people were great and that it’s a real football city. The Premier League, too – a competitive league with full stadiums each week and everyone watching. They both said it would be a great move.”

Silva is one of seven new faces at the Etihad Stadium for the 2017/18 campaign, and believes that the club should have its sights set on challenging on all fronts.

“The Champions League is more difficult to win,” he added. “Of course, the Premier League isn’t easy to win, but the Champions League has all of the best teams in Europe, so it’s as good as it gets. Manchester City have never won it either, so I want to make history.

“We have a lot of young players with a lot of quality. Throw in some experience as well and we’ve got a team who can compete on all fronts.

“The Premier League title is a big goal for the club this season, but the Champions League is huge. When you’re at a club like City, you have to fight to win every competition.”