“From day one…” – Bernardo Silva’s emotional tribute to Manchester City fans as exit looms | OneFootball

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has paid a heartfelt tribute to the club’s fans and cited his bond with them as a key reason for him staying as long as he has.

The Portuguese midfielder is set to leave the club when his contract expires in June, having enjoyed nearly nine illustrious, trophy-laden seasons at the Etihad Stadium.

Since joining forces with Pep Guardiola from AS Monaco in 2017, the £43 million signing has led Manchester City to six Premier League titles, a maiden UEFA Champions League crown amongst a wide array of trophies.

However, the Benfica academy graduate has wanted to leave the club for over five years and is expected to part ways with City at the end of the current season.

I always felt a great connection with the fans, says Bernardo

Silva is adored by Manchester City fans to a level of the same ilk as the likes of David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho.

The 31-year-old represents the best of Guardiola’s tenure in England and has formed the bedrock of nearly every City side that has broken records left, right and centre en route to etching its name in the history of English football under their Catalan manager.

“From day one, I always felt a great connection with them (the Manchester City fans),” Silva said in a recent appearance on the official Manchester City podcast.

“We were talking about me eventually thinking about leaving – and there was a period – and there was those first games of the season where a lot of news was coming out, stories and stuff – and you go into that game with a feeling like, ‘Are they not happy with you?’.

“And the reaction from the fans, it was always unbelievable in a surprising way! Even for me, because in other places, maybe I would’ve been booed or something.”

Bernardo: Man City fans a big reason why I’ve stayed so long

Manchester City will honour Silva, a true great of the club, with a sizeable farewell if and when he leaves the club – whether that is this summer – or in the future, should director of football Hugo Viana and Guardiola convince the midfielder to put pen to paper and sign a new deal.

However, Silva will always fondly remember the Manchester City fanbase for supporting him through thick and thin and especially, during periods of uncertainty over his club future.

He added: “Here (at Manchester City), the way they always respected me as a player and a person, they welcomed me first, and then respected me and helped me – maybe it was one of the main things that kept me staying at this club for so long!

“The way that they also approved of me as a player, as someone that always gave 100 percent on the pitch. The relationship with the fans has definitely been really, really good.”

City fans have dreaded the day Silva would leave the club for years, having witnessed the playmaker near an exit many a time since 2020, but it does seem like the time has come for as deserving a captain as any in the club’s history to begin a new chapter.