When it was announced, seemingly out of nowhere, on 26 May 2017 that Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva would be Manchester City’s first signing of that summer, fans began getting excited. The Portuguese had toyed with his new employers for Monaco in both legs of a Champions League last-16 tie in February and March, helping the soon-to-be French champions dump Pep Guardiola’s side out of the competition in his first year at the Etihad Stadium and go on to reach the semi-finals.