The Spaniard’s contract was due to expire at the end of June, with Silva confirming this season will be his last at City after 10 wonderful years at the Club.
However, the Premier League have granted special dispensation for players whose contracts run out this month to be handed short-term extensions in the wake of the three-month delay to the campaign caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
And, speaking, at his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s return to Premier League action at home to Arsenal, Guardiola confirmed that Silva would be staying on at the Club until the end of the season.
DAVID SILVA: Made in Gran Canaria
Sadly, Silva’s final few months here will take place with no supporters present due to safety guidelines in light of the coronavirus health crisis.
But, given Silva’s incredible contribution to City during his unforgettable decade in Manchester, the boss was also confident that the Club would help ensure the midfielder was afforded a proper and fitting farewell as and when circumstances allow.
“Yeah, David will stay until the end of season,” Guardiola confirmed.
“He will finish the last games without people. But hopefully he and the club can organise a proper farewell in front of people.
“Big clubs become incredible clubs when they make gestures to incredible players who have been here more than a decade. Like Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart, Yaya Toure...all these players. Pablo Zabateta. Sorry for the names I forget, but they know who they are!
“The situation is what it is, no-one wants it. David especially. The club will make an agreement with David and do what they have to do.”
FREE NOW TV PASSES FOR SEASONCARD HOLDERS
The boss – who confirmed that Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane were both fully fit along with the rest of the squad - also spoke of his delight at last week’s appointment of Juanma Lillo as the Club’s new assistant coach.
Lillo boasts extensive experience from around the globe and Guardiola worked under him as a player when Lillo was manager at Mexican side Dorados de Sinaloa in 2006.
And the boss said he believed the Spaniard would prove to be a key addition to the City backroom staff.
“We started when I arrived here, with Dome (Domenec Torrent) and Mikel (Arteta) and then when Mikel decided to go to Arsenal, I felt I needed someone to help us with the amount of games (we have),” Guardiola revealed.
“But I took time to make the right decision. I discussed it a lot with Txiki (City director of football Txiki Begiristain) and decided on Juanma because I know him
“I think for what I need right now he is the right person to help us and make us understand games better, and to help in training sessions.
“He helped me understand the game - I am sure he is going to help me and help us sustain the level of the last few years.”
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected everyone across the globe since the turn of year, the boss also spoke passionately about the debt he says we all owe health professionals who have been working tirelessly around the world these past few months.
Asked about how important he felt the return of football was to this country’s culture, Guardiola said it played a vital role – but highlighted the ‘incredible’ sacrifices that health staff and other key workers have and continue to make.
“I would say here in England, like in Spain and Germany, it (football) is an important part of society - but please don’t forget the most important people, those in the NHS,” Guardiola stressed.
“They went to work every day, risking contamination of COVID-19, to keep the rest of the people alive.
“The cleaners, nurses, doctors - those there every day who put their lives at risk to save ours.
“It’s nice to be back but they are the real heroes of society. It is hard to imagine waking up, having a family, going to hospital where the virus is to save other lives. What they have done is incredible.
“Personally, I will never forget for the rest of my life what these people have done. All we can do in this country for these people, we have to do.
“And we need to make sure they are protected and can do their job better. Big compliment - thank you so much. Me and my family will never forget the NHS staff across the world.”
