Man City to unveil Vincent Kompany and David Silva statues before Arsenal match on Saturday
Vincent Kompany left Manchester City in 2019, having won the Premier League title four times, along with two FA Cups and four EFL Cups; David Silva, who made 436 appearances for City, won likewise plus the EFL Cup in 2018-19; a third statue of Sergio Aguero will be completed next year
Monday 23 August 2021 07:28, UK
Sculptures of Vincent Kompany and David Silva will be installed outside Manchester City's Etihad stadium ahead of this weekend's Premier League game against Arsenal, the club said.
A third statue - of Sergio Aguero - is set to join them next year with the three players recognised for their "unparalleled contribution to the club's transformation".
Kompany left City in 2019, having won the Premier League title four times, along with two FA Cups and four EFL Cups.
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While Silva, who made 436 appearances for City, was widely regarded as one of the club's greatest players.
The club said the statues have been made by award-winning sculptor Andy Scott, who was only able to meet Kompany and Silva virtually due to the pandemic.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club's chairman, said: "Ultimately, Vincent and David do not need statues to enshrine their achievements at Manchester City over the past decade.
"They are already revered as icons of their generation.
"But what these artworks give us, and generations to come, is the opportunity to be reminded of, and savour, the truly magical moments created by both men."
Scott said he was "absolutely thrilled" to have won the commission to create the three statues.
"It's an unbelievable honour to work on something that will be visited by hundreds of thousands of fans as they remember and celebrate the achievement of their footballing heroes," he said.
"I have always been struck by how sportsmen and women move and perform, and in the case of football specifically, how they anticipate the ball, how they combine with their teammates, and sometimes simply how they stand.
"Reflecting these elements was always going to be challenging, but it was particularly so during a global pandemic as we were only able to meet with Vincent and David virtually.
"But with their insights and extensive research of film and photographic footage, I have tried to capture their unique physical characteristics and their distinctive movements in a way which I hope does justice to both of these phenomenal footballers.
"It's been such a pleasure to work on this prestigious project and I can't wait to finally get to meet the team in person as we set about the final installations at the Etihad Stadium this week."
