Oscar Bobb has been the centre of attention on Manchester City’s tour of the United States so far.
The 21-year-old Norwegian provided a pair of assists for his illustrious compatriot Erling Haaland and also scored against Celtic.
Bobb was a standout performer in City’s 3-2 defeat to AC Milan at Yankee Stadium, drawing comparisons to another winger who dazzled when playing from the right flank inside in the sky blue shirt.
Speaking to reporters after the match, the youngster was flattered by comments comparing him to Riyad Mahrez but insisted his inspiration is one of his current team-mates – and perhaps not the one you’d think, given his nationality.
All the latest Premier League club news | Premier League team fixtures for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings
“Woah, that’s a huge compliment. [the Mahrez comparison]”Of course I accept that. I’ve been watching every City game for the last 10 years, so if you say so, then I accept it,” Bobb was quoted as saying by the paper. Manchester Evening News.
“For me, it’s always Bernardo. [Silva] – I always watch him. I try to emulate some aspects of his game, but I also do my own thing.
Having the next Bernardo Silva potentially waiting in the wings would not be a bad thing for Pep Guardiola, given that the Portugal star has been constantly linked with moves away from the Etihad Stadium over the past few summers.
How long is Bernardo Silva’s contract?
However, the 29-year-old will remain in Manchester until the final two years of his current contract, after his €50m release clause expired at the end of June. His last extension with City was until June 2026.
Silva is not part of City’s touring squad in the United States as Pep Guardiola has granted extended leave to all players who reached at least the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 or the Copa America.
This has left the stage clear for players like Bobb to shine, and he will be looking forward to doing so on Tuesday in Orlando against Barcelona, another of his footballing inspirations.
“As a child I liked to watch the best dribblers, the best attacking players,” he added. “I watched a lot of Barcelona when the coach was there, all the players they had: Messi, Iniesta. We played La Liga at home, so I watched all the Barça games with my mother.”
