It needs to be said quietly without too much fuss – much in the style of David Silva – but Real Sociedad are title candidates this season, and a major reason for that is the arrival of the man who became a Manchester City legend before returning to Spain last summer.
Silva’s impact on his new team has been gradual. He suffered a coronavirus positive when he first arrived in San Sebastian and then his team-mates needed to get used to playing with him.
He had taken last year’s star-turn Martin Odegaard’s number 21 shirt but his movements were different and the team had to adjust.