Bernardo Silva Set for a Prominent Role at Real Madrid

Whilst there has been a lot of understandable frustration as the club failing to bring in Rodri this summer, Real Madrid have nevertheless been very busy in the summer transfer market.

Before the World Cup had barely even got underway, the signings of Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool via free agency, Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), and Bernardo Silva (Manchester City via free agency) had already been wrapped up.

Since then, the signings of Carlos Espi from Levante, La Liga’s U23 Player of the Year last season, and Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a club record fee have followed, leading to much excitement and anticipation from the fanbase.

Many have wondered; How many of the signings will be starters? Cucurella feels like the most bonafide of them all to start. It’ll be trickier for Dumfries to become a starter, with Trent Alexander-Arnold in his position.

Meanwhile, Konate probably will be for now, although the return to full fitness of Eder Militao could make that trickier. Espi will be cover for Mbappe, whilst Diomande will certainly be the one to start off of that right hand side of the attack.

Which leaves one player, Silva. It’s been a tricky one to answer. It feels certain Jude Bellingham will be the number ten this season, and Federico Valverde is now captain upon Dani Carvajal’s departure from the club, so we can be pretty certain he will start.

That leaves just one spot in the midfield. Well, fortunately for Silva, it is being reported by COPE via MadridXtra that the Portuguese international is set to start in the double pivot alongside Valverde. 

In his prime, Silva would have been the perfect profile. A top technical capable of controlling the game with lots of energy to go along with it. However, at 32, whilst that is not super old, he is not that kind of player anymore.

To be fair, he is still technically elite, and with Valverde’s physicality able to do his running for him, it could be a well balanced pairing. But something just seems off. For whatever reason, it feels hard to picture a Valverde-Silva double pivot bringing success back to the club. Could well be wrong on that, let’s wait and see.

Finally, it does make you wonder how much point there was to the contract extension of Aurelien Tchouameni. Even without Rodri joining the club, he looks set to not be starting. Slightly odd one.