Lijnders says departing Manchester City captain Bernardo will be impossible to replace | OneFootball

Pep Lijnders has said Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is impossible to replace.

Silva is set to leave Manchester City when his contract expires in the summer after nine seasons at the Etihad. Reports this week confirmed that the Portugal international has informed City of his decision.

The 31year-old has won six Premier League titles and one Champions League since arriving from Monaco in 2017 and has been a pivotal part of the club’s success under Pep Guardiola.

Following the weekend win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, City assistant Lijnders admitted a successor to Silva doesn’t ‘exist’.

“You never replace a player with the same kind of player because they don’t exist,” he said.

“Bernardo Silva is unique. 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.

“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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