Bernardo Silva has revealed how Manchester City had two unlikely allies when it came to convincing him to move to the Etihad – Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.

The Portuguese midfielder turned to his two countrymen for advice when Pep Guardiola made Monaco a £43million offer they couldn’t refuse at the start of the summer.

Manchester United legend ­Ronaldo told Silva he would be joining an “amazing club”.

And former Old Trafford winger Nani also put Mancunian loyalty to one side by urging the 23-year-old to move to the Etihad.

Silva said: “Cristiano and Nani both told me that Manchester is a great city.

“Of course, they played for United, but they said that both clubs are amazing and that I would enjoy the Premier League because it’s the best league, the stadiums are always full, and the people love football. They lived outside the centre, while I am staying in the city.

“But they said it was a great place to live, with nice people, and that I would enjoy it.

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“Before I arrived everyone was telling me, ‘Oh, Manchester is so bad, you won’t like it’.

“But since I arrived I have ­realised that the city is great and that the people are really nice.

“The only thing is the weather. That has been a little bit of a shock, but the city is great – and so are the people. I like it a lot.”

(Image: AFP)

Guardiola made Silva a priority signing when the midfielder helped Monaco knock City out of the Champions League.

But the City boss also ­recognised a kindred spirit – he reckons his new No.20 lives, eats and breathes football.

Silva, who spent his ­formative years with hometown club ­Benfica before moving to Monaco, said: “Yes, it is true. I am crazy about football. When I’m not ­playing or training, I watch ­football all the time. It has been the same since I was four or five and growing up in Lisbon.

“I always went to Benfica games with my dad and my grandparents and I am still a Benfica fan.

“If I wasn’t there then I would watch on TV. It has always been like that because I always love to learn from the best.”

(Image: PA)

He added: “That’s why I came here. I know that the manager is the same and that I will learn a lot from Guardiola and the other players.

“I know how much football means in England. They love it. That’s why it’s great to be here. Of course, playing against City in the ­Champions League may have helped.

“Looking back, maybe that game made City watch me more often and made them want to buy me.” Silva’s excellent command of English will help him settle quickly in Manchester.

In fact, he revealed that it ­became the language of love when he met his girlfriend Alicia ­Verrando.

Silva said: “From the age of four or five I studied in a British college in Portugal, so I got my basis of the language there.

“But I have been improving my language because my girlfriend is French and in the beginning we only spoke English.

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“I think it will help me at City. I have come here because I think I can improve in a lot of ways.

“Guardiola has a lot of ­experience making players better and I am also with players like Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva who will teach me new things.

“Not just in games, but also in the way they train. It will be great for me.

“I am not 100 per cent fit. This has been my first week, so I am not there yet – but I will be ­working hard to be fully fit as soon as I can.”