Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City this summerplaceholder image
Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City this summer | Getty Images
The Manchester City star is set to leave the club as a legend in the 2026 summer transfer window.
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club as a free agent when his current deal expires at the end of the season.
The 31-year-old is out of contract this summer and City assistant manager Pep Lijnders has urged fans to 'enjoy' the last six weeks of him at the club. Bernardo has enjoyed a stellar nine-year spell at the Etihad Stadium and will go down as one of the club's greatest ever players. The Portugal international has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and five League Cups during his time in Manchester, and is the player Pep Guardiola has used the most in his managerial career with 450 appearances.
Guardiola recently admitted he would love the Portugal international to stay at the club 'forever', though he admitted the midfielder had to do what was best for him and his family. It is understood Bernardo would like to continue playing at the highest level possible, and his preference would be to remain in Europe. Barcelona and Juventus have both been linked with moves, while he would love to play for former club Benfica again before he retires.
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Bernardo set for Man City exit
Speaking in his press conference after Manchester City defeated Liverpool at the weekend, assistant coach Pep Lijnders inadvertently revealed plans for Bernardo Silva to leave the club this summer.
"You never replace a player with the same kind of player because they don't exist. Bernardo Silva is unique," Lijnders told reporters. "The way he controls games, the way he moves, the way he receives, the way he leads, the way he sees the solutions. All these things.
"You never search for a replacement of one type of player. You search for what is needed to grow with the team and somebody who can fit in the first XI. And then you hope, with our academy, with the young players we already bought that they can make that step as well in the midfield positions.
"If you see our young boys in the academy, then they have to make that step and to grow. But the most important is that the seniors who stay for a long time, that they stay, that they stay, that they stay. That they are always there and, around that, you can move.
"But it will be hard because, as I said, in the game, when he is not playing you will see how he is missed and that's one game. Imagine a season. But every good story comes to an end, and I hope he enjoys the last months – there are only six weeks – and has a good farewell. He deserves all that attention as well."
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