Did you Know?

WhenDaSilvasignedhisfirst pro contract in December 2015, Posh director of football Barry Fry described Leo as the ‘most talented 16 year -old I’ve seen since George Best.”

Fry was a player at Manchester United as a teenager with Best.

New first-team manager Grant McCann is a huge fan of Da Silva Lopes so don’t be surprisedifhebecomesafirstteam regular this season.

Da Silva Lopes added: “I’ve loved my time with the first team. It has been hard physically at times, but the rewards have been worth it.

“I didn’t expect to makemy first-teamdebutsoyoungand I didn’t expect to have played so many first-team games at this stage of my career.

“I want to push on further though.

“As far as I’m concerned, although we have a lot of midfielders at the club, weall have anequalchanceofgettinginto the side. We all started afresh in pre-season.

“I don’t mind where I play. In a midfield diamond I’m probablybestontherightside ofit sothatcouldturnouttobe my position.”

Da Silva Lopes regards French star Paul Pogba as his playing hero, but his role model is a player a lot closer to home.

“I love Pogba’s ability to be strong attacking and defending, but if I can emulate JermaineAndersonI’llbehappy,” Da Silva Lopes added.

“He came through the youth team to become an established first-team player and that’s now my ambition.”