Benfica executive confirms Bernardo Silva stance on Manchester City exit | OneFootball

Benfica president Rui Costa is certain that Bernardo Silva will soon return to his boyhood club amid doubts over the Manchester City captain’s future in England.

The 31-year-old has been nothing short of an outstanding servant to Manchester City, giving absolutely everything for the club in his impressive 420 games in sky blue, covering every blade of grass and playing wherever necessary for Pep Guardiola and his side.

The Portuguese is City’s ninth highest appearance-maker in history, just two games below the legendary Kevin De Bruyne. Throughout his Etihad Stadium career. the Portugal international has recorded 147 goal contributions (74 goals and 73 assists) and won an incredible 17 trophies during his nine seasons and counting in Manchester.

For a few years now, though, as the midfield maestro increases in age, transfer speculation has surrounded him and this year is no different despite only recently and deservedly, one must say, becoming Manchester City’s club captain.

Benfica president Rui Costa is the latest to reignite rumours regarding the former AS Monaco star, who joined Manchester City for £43 million in 2017. Costa is currently eyeing up re-election and was part of a debate on Thursday October 30 – and the topic of a return for Silva was brought up yet again.

“No one can guarantee that a player will return to Benfica,” Costa said, as quoted by SAPO and relayed by SportWitness, “We’re talking about campaigns from the 80s and 90s. Today he (Silva) is captain of Manchester City.

“I’m convinced that if he (Silva) returns, it will be like Rui Costa returning to Benfica, not to any president. I’ve been through that before.

“When a player is a Benfica supporter and wants to return, he returns for the club, not for the president. He may even think one project is better than another. But I’m absolutely convinced that he (Silva) wants to be a Benfica player.

“He never wanted to be the president’s player; he wanted to be the club’s player. And I think Bernardo thinks like me.”

Silva – who has publicly admitted that he has made his mind up over his club future beyond next summer, when his Manchester City contract is set to expire – has become something of a fighting point for the Benfica presidential candidates Costa and Noronha Lopes.

The discussion of re-signing their former academy graduate has become commonplace during the various presidential debates prior to the next election on November 8. A previous round on October 25 saw neither candidate fail to secure an absolute majority. Costa, however, did win the most votes.

Unlike fellow candidate Lopes though, Costa did not outright confirm his desire to sign Silva or the fact of if Benfica could do so under his presidency and has criticised his fellow competitor for making such promises to Benfica supporters.

Costa is not going to change his stance now but the Portuguese is willing to admit that he is convinced Silva wants to return to his former club. The Manchester City midfielder is a product of Benfica’s youth system but only made three appearances in the senior team.

He is still very highly regarded at his boyhood club and the promise of signing him is an exciting prospect for the fans – and Rui Costa believes it can happen.

Though Silva is Manchester City captain as things stand, as he approaches the twilight of his career, his illustrious career in blue may be closing in on its completion and according to Costa, a fairytale return to Benfica for the midfielder is on the cards.