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David Silva has opened his heart on the toughest year of his life.

Manchester City’s brilliant Spanish midfielder will return to the Etihad on Sunday after his post-World Cup summer break with his mind made up that he will quit the club when his contract expires in 2020 after a decade of service.

But while Silva will always treasure the trophies he has won with the Blues - three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups - his most precious memory is of how the club gave him such unflinching support when he needed it most.

When Silva’s son, Mateo, was born prematurely last December, Pep Guardiola was adamant that the midfielder had to put his family first even if it meant losing the magic of the man City fans call ‘Merlin’ with his team still fighting for the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.

(Image: david21lva/Instagram)

Silva spent the next five months dashing between Manchester to the Casa de Salud hospital in Valencia to be at Mateo’s side as he slowly triumphed in his fight for life.

“It is too early to say all is well with Mateo,” said Silva, as he relaxed at the ANFI holiday resort close to his hometown of Arguineguín in Gran Canaria and spoke in honest detail about how his dream of becoming a father for the first time became every parent’s worst nightmare.

“But the good news is that my son is getting stronger and stronger.

“He has to continue with medical tests every now and then, but at least we can think a little about the future.

“It goes without saying that the first few months after my son was born were the toughest of my life.

(Image: david21lva/Instagram)

“You just don’t expect to see your baby fighting for his life.

“It was a crazy time. Looking back you wonder how you coped. I relied on the strength of my girlfriend and my family - and also my team-mates and my club.

“Mateo was also a source of inspiration because of the way he fought.

“I was flying from England to Spain, trying to be with my son, trying to train, going back to Manchester to play for City.

“Mentally it was tough but I had to be strong because I wanted my son to keep fighting.

“Has it changed me as a man? I would say ‘no’ because I have always understood the importance of family.”

(Image: david21lva/Instagram)

Silva also came to learn that as far as Guardiola is concerned football certainly isn’t a matter more serious than life or death.

The City midfielder confirmed that the Catalan is a football obsessive who will be going into the new season looking to smash all the records that his team set last season on their way to becoming the Premier League’s first Centurions.

Silva said: “I have always been well treated by the club, but when Mateo was born prematurely I think it was the time when I realised just how much the club means to me.

“It was Christmas. It was the busiest part of the season and I knew Pep needed me to play.

“We were doing well in the league, but nothing was decided. It was still a close race at that time.

“Yet Pep just said to me ‘look, there is nothing more important than your family. Take all the time you need to look after your son, your family and also yourself.’

(Image: AFP) (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“In the worst moment of my life, Pep and the people at City showed me the kind of love that you can only appreciate when you have been in that kind of crisis.”

Silva added: “When you see Pep on TV or read his words in the newspaper, it is the portrait of a man who is the ultimate professional.

“But when you work with him, you don’t just come to see him as a coach. You learn about his qualities as a man.

“It is that side of Pep Guardiola that the people on the outside don’t get to see.

“I witnessed the human instincts of Pep and I can tell you that for him there are more important things in life than football.

“City are a club that is built to win trophies. But in that moment, the manager, the staff, the owners, my team-mates and the fans showed me that they understand that a great football club doesn’t just think about football.

(Image: @MullockSMirror/Twitter)

“At City we don’t just have successful people, we have great human beings who know that family is paramount.”

Silva, 32, joined City from Valencia in 2010 in a £24million deal that now looks like a bargain.

His consistency during the club’s most successful era has made him arguably the greatest player to wear the sky blue shirt.

But when his contract expires in 2020, he will look for a new adventure.

Silva said: “I will have been 10 years at the club - and that will be it. It’s a decision I have already taken.

“Who I will play for I don’t know. The only thing I am sure of is that it will not be in England because I could never play against City in the Premier League.

“The only thing I can say is that it will be somewhere away from the rain!”