2008 saw "Manchester City" become the new rich team in the Premier League, and by 2010 they began to disrupt the established hierarchy of English giants. At that time, City's manager Roberto Mancini spent over 100 million pounds and attracted players like Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli, Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner, and Jerome Boateng. The arrival of Toure from Barcelona was a huge statement of the club's ambitions, but later, world champion David Silva arrived for 24 million pounds from Valencia. Both of these players will surely be remembered as some of the best in Man City's history, but now, as they have crossed the thirty-year mark, it is time to look for their replacements. Under Pep Guardiola's guidance, Toure's importance in the team has diminished, but Silva still remains one of its key components - this season, only Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho played more minutes than him. However, it is necessary to look to the future now, and "Squawka" journalist Oliver Young-Myles has compiled a list of seven candidates who could replace the Spaniard in the City team. Isco (Real Madrid) Age: 24 Key stat: Isco's passing accuracy in La Liga this season is 90%. He has also made three assists. Considering Isco's ability and similar playing style to Silva, the Real Madrid midfielder seems like a suitable candidate at the top of this list. Since leaving Malaga three and a half years ago and moving to the capital, Isco has won two Champions League medals and one Spanish Cup, but opportunities to start in the first team have been limited. Such a talented player deserves to play more often, and Guardiola's admiration for his game makes a move to City seem possible. Koke (Atletico Madrid) Age: 24 Key stat: Koke has created 41 chances for his teammates this season. Only Neymar, with 44, has created more in this category. Koke's style of play differs from Silva's - in the midfield, he adds toughness and determination, but does not excel in ball control skills. Despite this, Koke has proven he can regularly create chances and make assists for his team, especially in the last 18 months. His ability to see the pitch and help maintain ball control also makes him a possible replacement for Silva. Denis Suarez (Barcelona) Age: 23 Key stat: Suarez's passing accuracy in La Liga is 88% this season, and he has contributed two assists to the team's victories. In fact, City already had Denis Suarez in their team after acquiring him from Celta Vigo in 2011, but two years later they let him go to Barcelona. The Catalan's interest should be enough of an indicator that they should have kept him. Since leaving the Etihad, Suarez has become one of the most highly rated young talents in Spain. While he is likely willing to fight for a place at Camp Nou, the lack of playing time could prompt his departure. Mahmoud Dahoud (Borussia Monchengladbach) Age: 21 Key stat: Over 60.4% of Dahoud's passes in the Bundesliga have been aimed towards his forward teammates. Last season, he was the brightest rising star in the Bundesliga. Mahmoud Dahoud immediately caught the eye of Die Fohlen's coach due to his ability to make long passes and break through opponents' defense. The strength of these passes is often ideal. Dahoud, whose subtle build also resembles Silva's, easily moves around the pitch and is quick with the ball. Throughout his short career, he primarily played deeper, but certainly has all the qualities needed to move into a more attacking position in the future. Hakan Calhanoglu (Bayer Leverkusen) Age: 22 Key stat: Four of Calhanoglu's 20 chances created this season have turned into assists. Impressively, at just 22, Hakan Calhanoglu seems like one of those players we have known for years. The free kick he scored for Hamburg from almost the halfway line against Borussia Dortmund was almost three years ago. The Turkish national team player has been playing more and more, and although he is not yet fully developed, his statistics are particularly impressive - he scores or assists almost every other game. Hakim Ziyech (Ajax Amsterdam) Age: 23 Key stat: Ziyech has created 57 chances for his teammates in just 12 Eredivisie matches. Whether an Eredivisie star can demonstrate the same ability in a stronger league can be very difficult to gauge, but it increasingly appears that Hakim Ziyech has outgrown the Dutch league. The Moroccan was the standout player for Twente last season, and this summer, joining Ajax has made him a star player for the team. Ziyech has a magical left foot, is a decent penalty taker, and scores a fair amount of goals. It is only a matter of time before he is bought by one of the big clubs. One should not forget about Phil Foden Age: 16 Described as one of the brightest young talents in England, Phil Foden was included in the Manchester City lineup for a Champions League match against Glasgow Celtic without making a fuss. Foden is distinguished by his exceptional technique, and his style is compared to Andres Iniesta considering his excellent passing and ability to dribble past opponents.
