Jesse Marsch has praised Andre Silva, via Kicker, after scoring his first goal for RB Leipzig against Stuttgart, following links with a move to Arsenal and Manchester City this summer.
Silva joined Die Roten Bullen from Eintracht Frankfurt in July after ending last season as the Bundesliga’s second-best goalscorer behind Robert Lewandowski. The Portuguese scored 28 goals plus eight assists in 32 games, before sealing a €23m (£20m) transfer.
He is now off the mark for Leipzig after scoring during a 4-0 rout of Stuttgart last Friday. Silva also assisted Emil Forsberg early in the second-half to double the hosts’ lead.
Silva came close to scoring his first for Leipzig in the first-half, but for Stuttgart’s Florian Muller parrying his effort. The 25-year-old’s genius was on show throughout, and found Forsberg with a nice flick as he adapts to Marsch’s system.
Silva also showed Arsenal and Manchester City what they are missing after Leipzig beat them to a deal with Frankfurt. Bild noted in June that Pep Guardiola’s Premier League title-holders spoke with the striker’s agent. While Duncan Castles claimed Arsenal also told his agent they wanted the 42-cap international, but needed to sell Alexandre Lacazette.
Marsch is pleased with Silva’s early efforts for Leipzig, and expects Friday’s goal was just the start for the former Arsenal and Manchester City target.
“I think Andre played very well,” Marsch said. “He was in almost every offensive action and had a great assist. He was very clever. He’s in a new team, we have to learn more about him, and he has to learn more about us. But, overall, I am very satisfied with Andre. I think he will develop more and more with the team and score many more goals.”
Arsenal to rue not signing Silva before Leipzig’s deal with Frankfurt?
Arsenal will likely rue not being able to sign Silva before Leipzig agreed terms with Eintracht Frankfurt this summer. The Portuguese was a goal machine in the Bundesliga last term and is wasting little time getting up to speed.
That’s also despite Silva having to adapt to a new system under March at the Red Bull Arena. He was more of a penalty area operator at Die Adler, but must now show his influence across the final third.
There were a few occasions against Stuttgart where Silva clearly lacked cohesion with his new teammates. But overcome those problems to find Forsberg with a smart pass, and will carry that momentum into facing table-toppers Wolfsburg.
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