‘I’D LOVE TO HAVE KYLIAN AT ETIHAD’

may have seen, it is not simply a case of money. It’s more complicated than that. The player needs to move for the sake of sporting reasons.”

Silva, City’s £43m playmaker, has told 18-year-old Mbappe to follow him from

Monte Carlo to Manchester.

And he’s revealed how his charm offensive also convinced defender Benjamin Mendy to link up with him at City in a

£50m deal.

Silva said: “Mbappe is a great player. I would love to have him here. That is for City to decide, but you never know.

“Mbappe can be a superstar – in fact, I think he is already a little bit of a superstar.

“He can be one of the best in the world very soon. It is perfect to have someone like him when you’re a midfield player because he is very fast, very clever and a good finisher. It’s crazy to think he is only 18.”

Monaco knocked City out of the Champions League last season on away goals after losing the first leg 5-3 in Manchester.

That prompted City boss Pep Guardiola (left) to raid the French champions for Silva before turning his attentions to left-back Mendy.

And Silva revealed: “When I signed for City I spoke to Benjamin about coming as well. I said, ‘Come on Mendy, come with me’, because he is a great player and can really help this team.”

The Monaco to City double-act could soon become a hat-trick.