David Silva to be immortalised with statue outside Etihad Stadium

Manchester City will build a statue of David Silva outside the Etihad to honour the Spanish playmaker's 10-year career at the club.

Widely accepted as one of the greatest players in City's history, Silva's final game was Saturday's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Lyon in Lisbon.

The club have commissioned a statue of Silva as well as dedicating a training pitch at the City Football Academy to him with a mosaic celebrating his role in the famous 6-1 win over Manchester United in 2011.

The 34-year-old is being honoured with a sculpture at the stadium along with former captain Vincent Kompany. Both statues are expected to be unveiled next year.

Silva helped turn the Abu Dhabi dream into reality after joining City from Valencia in 2010, winning four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups in his 436 appearances for the club.

It's understood that chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak informed Silva of the tribute after his final Premier League game against Norwich City last month.

Al Mubarak said: 'David Silva is a transformational player; a quiet leader who has acted quietly and deliberately and inspired everyone around him, from the youngest academy player to his senior team-mates over the past 10 years.

'He has put a stamp on the team, on this club, its history and even the Premier League as a whole. In doing so, he has been instrumental to the beautiful football philosophy you see today. He was the start of it.

'As with Vincent before him, David's statue will act as a lasting reminder of the wonderful moments that he gave us, not only as an incredible footballer, but as an inspiring ambassador who represented this football club with great dignity at all times.'