Former Man City player Silva comes out of retirement

What the report says

Former Manchester City midfielder David Silva has returned to football at age 40, with BBC Sport reporting that he has signed for Hong Kong Premier League side Sha Tin. Silva had retired in 2023 after an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in pre-season training with Real Sociedad, but he is now set for another spell in the game.

According to BBC Sport, Silva is best known for an outstanding 10-year career at Manchester City, where he won four Premier League titles and 11 major trophies overall. He also helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships. City later unveiled a statue of him outside the Etihad Stadium, reflecting his standing at the club.

Sha Tin are currently eighth in the Hong Kong Premier League after four matches and are due to face Hong Kong Football Club on 18 October. The club said Silva will travel to Hong Kong, train with the squad and work towards full match fitness before making his debut. In a message shared by the player, Silva said he was looking forward to experiencing local culture, food and football in Hong Kong.

The move is notable because it brings one of the Premier League’s most decorated midfielders back into competitive football in a new market. Separately, and as BBC Sport noted, some of Silva’s Premier League titles with City came during the period in which the club has since been found guilty of alleged financial rule breaches, a case City have appealed.