Manchester City’s transfer stance on Bernardo Silva revealed amid Benfica interest | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva is reportedly wanted by Manchester City to stay at the club beyond the end of the ongoing 2025/26 season amid claims of interest from Benfica.

The Portuguese midfielder has been a central figure for Pep Guardiola since arriving from AS Monaco in the summer of 2017, making himself indispensable through versatility, creativity, and consistency.

Despite regular links with moves away – most notably to Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and more recently Saudi Arabia – Silva has remained at the Etihad and become one of Guardiola’s most trusted leaders, and handed the captain’s armband following Kevin De Bruyne’s exit.

Speculation around his future has reignited in recent weeks through growing talk in Portugal of Benfica preparing attempts to bring their former academy product back home. Presidential candidate João Noronha Lopes has outlined Silva as a marquee target, intending to make him the face of his sporting project should he win upcoming elections at the Lisbon club.

With Silva’s contract at the Etihad Stadium running until June 2026, Benfica are assessing whether to wait for a free transfer or attempt a deal earlier. For Manchester City, however, Silva remains a crucial cog in Guardiola’s system for the ongoing season.

And according to the information of Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola would like Bernardo Silva to stay at the club beyond the end of this season, as he still sees the Portugal international midfielder as part of his plans.

Manchester City’s stance reflects Guardiola’s continued reliance on Silva, especially with younger talents like Claudio Echeverri and Rayan Cherki bedding into first-team football and adapting to life at the club.

While the club is planning for the future, Pep Guardiola appears determined to balance that transition with the presence of experienced figures who can guide the next generation, although looking ahead, much will depend on Bernardo Silva’s own ambitions.

He has previously spoken of wanting to return to Benfica before the end of his career, and the emotional pull of a homecoming could grow stronger as he edges into his thirties. That said, Silva has shown loyalty to City during multiple summers of speculation, and his captaincy could be a factor in persuading him to extend his stay even further.

If Benfica’s interest materialises into a formal proposal, Manchester City will face a delicate decision on whether to grant Bernardo Silva an emotional return to his boyhood club or push to keep him as the cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s evolving squad.