Portugal legend “sure” of Manchester City midfield transfer being completed in future | OneFootball

One of Benfica’s greatest figures and former Portugal international, Humberto Coelho has no doubt Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva will return to his boyhood club. 

Silva joined Manchester City from AS Monaco in a deal worth £43 million back in 2017 and has enjoyed a hugely successful period in England, winning six Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown among many other honours.

The 31-year-old remains a crucial asset in Pep Guardiola’s team after a series of key players such as Kevin de Bruyne, Ederson, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker departed during a substantial revamp this past summer, taking on the captain’s armband in the process.

That overhaul, which saw Hugo Viana replace Txiki Begiristain as director of football, led to Bernardo Silva being appointed as the club captain personally by Pep Guardiola, largely due to his commitment to the cause during the last campaign.

Bernardo Silva has won everything he can in England and his time at Manchester City may be ticking down with Humberto Coelho – who won more than 60 caps for Portugal throughout the 1970s and early 1980s – certain that the midfielder will return to Benfica.

“I know that no matter who the president is, Bernardo Silva will return to Benfica,” he told Portuguese outlet A Bola, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness.

Coelho continued, “Right now, it’s impossible to bring him back. He’s at an extraordinary club where he earns a fortune. But I’m sure that one day he’ll be back.”

Bernardo Silva is admired for his level of ability on the pitch but equally for his personality off it, which is something that fans across England have come to enjoy regardless of the club they support.

Having worked closely with Bernardo Silva, Coelho was full of praise for the Manchester midfielder and described him as an extraordinary person adding, “He has character, strength, intelligence, and he’s very kind. He speaks several languages. He’s a fantastic person and a fantastic player.”

Bernardo Silva’s return to Benfica could come as soon as the summer of 2026, with his Manchester City contract expiring at the end of the ongoing season and currently no sign of extension talks taking place.

The Portuguese international has recently hinted during Champions League press conference duties that a decision on his future beyond this season has already been made, with Guardiola insisting that he remains unaware of what that thought process entails.