Versatile, skilful, graceful, lovable and spiky: Bernardo Silva is in a sphere of his own | Simon Hattenstone

Manchester City are about to lose a player Pep Guardiola called ‘my weakness’ and ‘my favourite’. Who am I to disagree?

Bernardo Silva is more than a footballer. He’s a time-travelling, shapeshifting superhero. He even looks like a superhero – a nine-volt battery of a man doing battle with feral giants on the pitch. In 55 years of watching football I’ve never seen anybody or anything like him. For the past decade I’ve been lucky enough to watch him turning out week in, week out for my club, Manchester City. And now it’s time to say goodbye.

Some footballers are famous for having played in virtually every position on the field. James Milner, John O’Shea and Phil Neville come to mind. They tend to be solid, stolid types, as reliable as they are unimaginative.