Where next for Bernardo Silva as Man City departure confirmed? | OneFootball

Bernardo is leaving Man City after nine years [Getty Images]

Portugal international Bernardo Silva will be one of the most in-demand players during this summer’s transfer window, after confirming he will leave Manchester City as a free agent at the end of his contract.

Bernardo will bring an end to a nine-year spell with City at the end of the season, at which point the 31-year-old will have a wide range of options to choose from in continuing his career. For many Benfica fans, the prospect of a return to Estádio da Luz is an exciting possibility, particularly given Bernardo’s regular declarations that he wishes to play for his boyhood club while still in his prime.

Paulo Silva, his father, was quoted after Bernardo’s last City contract extension in 2023 as saying a return to Benfica was “a strong possibility” but how realistic is an emotional homecoming to Lisbon this summer?

Bernardo’s recent quotes on the subject leave plenty of room for varying interpretations.  “I always joke that if Manchester City were a little further south in Europe, I would stay until they forcibly kicked me out," he stated last month, going on to suggest that he always struggled to adapt off the field in Manchester.

“I'm not saying I don't like it, but culturally it's not 100 percent what I ideally wanted. At times, I don't feel as happy as I'd like. Before being with my wife, I spent a period alone in Manchester where I didn't feel very good about myself. I thought a lot about leaving, not because I didn't like the club – which I love – but because of other aspects of my life.

"If Manchester City were in Lisbon, I would stay until I was 40.”

Pep pays tribute 

The closing line could be enough to excite Benfica fans, but while a move to another English club, or indeed perhaps a Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain, could potentially be ruled out along similar cultural grounds, there are expected to be plenty of major clubs vying to beat Benfica to Bernardo’s signature.

Barcelona hold long-term interest, while Juventus are credited as one of the frontrunners in the chase for arguably the most high-profile free agent of the close season. Other Italian clubs could offer a lifestyle option more closely aligned with Bernardo’s preference, while Turkish giants Fenerbahçe and Saudi Arabia’s elite are believed to have made contact of late.

For Pep Guardiola, the void will be significant. The City boss has regularly expressed his adoration for Bernardo, claiming the Portugal man is one of the best players he has worked with. Indeed, Guardiola playfully scalded Bernardo recently for keeping him in the dark over his future plans, before announcing the departure on social media on Thursday.

"It was an incredible signing,” Guardiola said recently. “I love this club and I would love for him to stay and finish his career here, but I don't know. I'm very angry with Bernardo because a month ago I jokingly told him: 'if you make a decision, I have to be the first to know'. He still hasn't told me anything, so I don't know what's going on.

"He's very good in every aspect. He plays a lot of games. We've been together for nine years and he hasn't had any injuries. He can play in different positions, he's very intelligent and he reads every moment that the action and the game demand.”

Bernardo’s full statement, penned as a letter to City fans on Thursday, read as follows:

“Cityzens,

When I arrived 9 years ago, I was following a dream of a little boy, wanting to succeed in life, wanting to achieve great things. This city and this club gave me much more than that, much more than I ever hoped for. What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart. The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the Four In A Row and much more… It wasn’t that bad 😉

In a few months it’s time to say goodbye to the city where not only we won so much as a football club, but also where I started my marriage and my family. From the bottom of my heart, Ines and Carlota, thank you!

To the fans, your unconditional support throughout the years is something that I will never forget. My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys could feel proud and well represented on the pitch. I hope you felt that every single game. I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life. Keep supporting this young team and I’m pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new fantastic memories in the future.

To the club, Pep, the staff and all my teammates these 9 years, thank you for all the memories and for letting me be a part of this journey for so long. The atmosphere we created every day in the training ground made me feel at home and a part of a big family. Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us.

Love you all, Bernardo.

Many prominent figures responded to the post, with Manchester United captain and Seleção teammate Bruno Fernandes describing Bernardo as a "true legend of the English League," while City’s star striker Erling Haaland was glowing in his praise of a man who undoubtedly leaves as a club legend.

“If you ask me what he's really good at, it's a little difficult to explain,” Haaland told Sky Sports. “The way he controls the game, his intelligence… he's probably the most intelligent player I've ever played with.

"When we talk about his career at City, the last nine years have been crazy. He's won six Premier League titles and the Champions League. Look how important he was for us during the treble, when he scored against Bayern or when he scored two goals against Real Madrid. It's hard to find words because he's been such an important figure for this club over the last nine years. And he's also shaped the club with how he's been on and off the pitch.”

Typical of his relentless availability, Bernardo has featured in every one of City’s 31 league matches this campaign – an aspect of his make-up which will only draw him more suitors. Appropriately for the most decorated Portuguese to play in Britain, Bernardo this season overtook Luís Boa Morte as the Luso player with the higest number of appearances in English league football.

Bernardo has won a total of 19 trophies during his time with City – a number which could yet be rounded to 20 next month as City aim to snatch the Premier League from current leaders Arsenal. The two teams meet on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium, with City trailing by six points with a game in-hand, meaning a victory for Bernardo’s men would prompt the closest of title run-ins.