David Silva Responds to Rumours over Potential Transfer to Real Madrid

Manchester City's attacking midfielder David Silva has downplayed rumours of a return to Spanish football with Real Madrid, telling Catalan media outlet Mundo Deportivo he is "very happy in Manchester."

Per ESPN.co.uk, Silva insisted the speculation is just media speculation and pointed to his contract renewal as indication he will remain in the Premier League.

Silva is quoted as saying:

"

I'm very happy in Manchester and I think this is similar to what happens every year. There are always rumours and, in the end, the player has to be calm. I renewed my contract because I am happy over there [in Manchester].

"

The Spain international is a popular figure among Real Madrid fans, receiving a standing ovation following his Champions League outing for City at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium last season, per Marca.

Football Espana also reveals that, per a Marca poll earlier this year, 77 percent of Real Madrid fans identified the diminutive playmaker as their ideal signing for Los Merengues.

Silva moving to England was a point of consternation for many fans, with Madrid having favoured foreign signings in recent years at a time when Barcelona won numerous titles with a largely home-grown side.

The arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as manager this summer, though, has brought about a fresh desire to give the side a Spanish flavour following the tumultuous end to the Jose Mourinho era.

Rising stars of La Liga Isco and Asier Illarramendi were bought to bolster the Madrid midfield, while former Real Madrid B-team full-back Dani Carvajal returned from Bayer Leverkusen after impressing in his sole Bundesliga campaign.

Add in Alvaro Morata and Jese—two stars of the club's academy system—and it is clear to see a renewed emphasis on building a Spanish core to the side.

In that context, then, it is easy to understand why links with a player of Silva's quality would emerge. However, persuading City to part with the 27-year-old, who has been so crucial to their successes of recent years, would be a difficult ask.

Per the Daily Mail, Silva signed a five-year deal worth £200,000 per week last summer, seeing him through to 2017 with the Eastlands side. He would not be cheap and, having just sold Mesut Ozil to Arsenal, such a piece of transfer business would make little sense at the present time.

Manchester City fans need fear not, then, for it would appear Silva has no plans to move on from the Premier League title challengers anytime soon, despite the continued speculation emerging from his homeland.