Bernardo Silva Reveals Man City Transfer Decision, Pep Guardiola Names New Captain | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva has confirmed he will remain with Manchester City for the 2025–26 season after being named the team’s new captain.

City found themselves needing a new captain this summer following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne, who took the armband from Kyle Walker after the defender, who is expected to leave permanently this summer, asked to go in January and spent the second half of the season on loan with AC Milan.

The City squad have previously been given the freedom to choose their own captain, but Guardiola has taken control of the decision and handed the armband to Silva, who ruled out a departure this summer as he enters the final year of his contract.

“I know what I’m going to do [in the long term] but it’s not the time to talk about that,” Silva said. “I’m very focused on my season. I’m very focused on performing well for Man City.

“When the time is due I will talk about it. I have one year on my contract so obviously I can leave next season. This season for sure will be at City, I’m going to stay. I’ve had options in the past and this year, like last year, my option is to stay at Man City.”

Explaining his decision to choose his own captain, a frustrated Guardiola insisted he wanted to make a significant change after the disappointment that was last season.

Guardiola has put his faith in Silva. / IMAGO/Focus Images

“I’m the manager this season, for the first time in my career, I decided it would be my captain,” Guardiola said. “I didn’t like what happened last season, and I decided this season I will represent the team.”

He continued: “I just decided this season, sometimes I want to be the boss. This season I decided to do it, so I chose the four captains, and at the end of this World Cup, maybe we choose one or two more.”

Among those in the new captaincy group is Erling Haaland, who Guardiola hopes will learn from the senior voices around him this season.

“First of all, he’s so young, but he has to start to learn what it means to be a captain,” Guardiola said of his striker. “He will be here, hopefully, for many, many years, and that’s why, sooner or later, he will take that position as the first one.

“When you have Bernardo, you have Rúben [Dias], and you have Rodri, plus Ilkay Gündogan, who was an unbelievable captain for us in the treble year, [Haaland] will learn.

“Especially because he’s incredibly respected. He’s an important figure. It’s not necessary to say what happened on the pitch, but the important (thing) for me is I had the feeling that, thinking about the future of this club, he has to start to learn what does it mean to be a captain and thinking what is best for the team.”

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