Confederations Cup 2017: 10 Players To Watch

2. Bernardo Silva (Portugal)

Confederations Cup Players
By Дмитрий Голубович (soccer.ru) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

If anyone had somehow managed to overlook Bernardo Silva's dramatic rise to prominence during Monaco's romantically swashbuckling charge through Europe last season, his £43m move to Manchester City will have surely grasped their attention.

Silva was absolutely mesmeric as an exuberant and youthful Monaco side scored their way to Ligue 1 glory, and those on the blue side of Manchester must be positively salivating at the prospect of the Portuguese linking up with his namesake David and - should he remain at the club - Sergio Aguero.

The lauded potential of the former Benfica prospect has verged on excessive at times, with ex-Portugal maestro Deco claiming he could be "one of the greatest players in the world." Expectations are high, then, but given the dazzling exhibition of his supreme technical gifts so far, there's no logical reason why Silva can't fulfill them. Even during Russia's 'White Nights', expect Portugal's maverick to be the brightest thing on the pitch this summer.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.