Bernardo Silva confirms Man City exit: Three clubs who could sign legendary midfielder this summer

Bernardo Silva has announced that helium volition beryllium leaving Manchester City erstwhile his declaration expires astatine the extremity of the season, bringing an extremity to an illustrious nine-year vocation astatine the Etihad Stadium.

The 31-year-old midfielder volition spell down arsenic a nine fable connected the bluish broadside of Manchester having played an integral relation successful Pep Guardiola’s squad during a hugely palmy era.

Bernardo has played much times for Man City than immoderate different subordinate nether Guardiola (450) since joining from Monaco for astir £43m successful July 2017, scoring 76 goals and registering 77 assists.

The 107-cap Portugal planetary has won 19 trophies with Man City to date, including six Premier League titles, 2 FA Cup triumphs, 5 EFL Cups and 1 Champions League during the club’s historical treble-winning run successful 2022-23.

Bernardo astir precocious lifted his archetypal trophy arsenic skipper of the Citizens aft beating Arsenal 2-0 successful the EFL Cup last astatine Wembley past month, and determination is simply a anticipation that helium goes retired connected a existent precocious with different Premier League and FA Cup triumph astatine the extremity of this season.

Speculation implicit Bernardo’s aboriginal has been rife for much than 12 months, and contempt Guardiola’s wishes for the midfielder to stay, it has present been confirmed that the nine volition “take the clip to present a fitting tribute and farewell to a fantastic servant of Manchester City Football Club astatine the extremity of the season.”

"A Man City protagonist for life": Bernardo Silva's farewell connection successful full

In a statement, Man City person said that Bernardo "will beryllium deservedly remembered some arsenic 1 of City’s finest and astir fashionable players of each time", portion the subordinate himself has taken to societal media to corroborate his departure this summer.

 A station successful Instagram read: “Cityzens, When I arrived 9 years ago, I was pursuing a imagination of a small boy, wanting to win successful life, wanting to execute large things.”

“This metropolis and this nine gave maine overmuch much than that, overmuch much than I ever hoped for. What we won and achieved unneurotic is simply a bequest that volition everlastingly beryllium cherished successful my heart. The Centurions, the home quadruple, the Treble, the Four-In-A-Row and overmuch more… It wasn’t that atrocious ?

“In a fewer months it’s clip to accidental goodbye to the metropolis wherever not lone we won truthful overmuch arsenic a shot club, but besides wherever I started my matrimony and my family. From the bottommost of my heart, Ines and Carlota, convey you!

“To the fans, your unconditional enactment passim the years is thing that I volition ne'er forget. My main extremity arsenic a subordinate was to ever play with passionateness truthful you guys could consciousness arrogant and good represented connected the pitch.

“I anticipation you felt that each azygous game. I arrived arsenic a Man City player, I permission arsenic 1 much of you, a Man City protagonist for life. Keep supporting this young squad and I’m beauteous definite they volition bring you a batch of caller fantastic memories successful the future.

“To the club, Pep, the unit and each my teammates these 9 years, convey you for each the memories and for letting maine beryllium a portion of this travel for truthful long. The ambiance we created each time successful the grooming crushed made maine consciousness astatine location and a portion of a large family.

“Let’s bask unneurotic these past weeks and combat for what this play inactive brings us. Love you all, Bernardo.”

Three clubs are beardown contenders to motion Bernardo this summer

As things stand, it appears that 3 clubs are champion placed to motion Bernardo arsenic a escaped cause up of the caller season, and 1 of those is La Liga champions-elect Barcelona.

It has antecedently been reported that a determination to the Catalan giants is Bernardo’s preference, arsenic the midfielder is keen to trial himself successful Spain earlier helium enters the second stages of his career.

Barca would o.k. the Portuguese’s accomplishment having pursued him successful erstwhile seasons, but it remains to beryllium seen whether Hansi Flick’s broadside person the finances to connection a soon-to-be 32-year-old a big-money multi-year contract.

Italian giants Juventus are different nine said to clasp a beardown involvement successful Bernardo and are understood to person contacted the subordinate cause Jorge Mendes.

When asked straight astir a imaginable determination for Bernardo, Juve sporting manager Damien Comolli told reporters: “Bernardo Silva and (Liverpool’s Alisson Becker]? I won’t sanction names (smiles), but yes, Juve ever has the allure of attracting champions.

“What’s amazed maine truthful acold is that nary subordinate we’ve spoken to has said, ‘I’ll lone travel if you scope the Champions League.’ Players privation to travel to Juventus due to the fact that it’s Juventus.” 

Meanwhile, an affectional instrumentality to boyhood nine Benfica could besides beryllium connected the cards, arsenic Bernardo has antecedently stated that helium would similar to complete "a vocation and beingness goal" by returning to Lisbon-based broadside earlier helium decides to retire.

Bernardo, calved successful Lisbon, came done Benfica’s academy and made conscionable 3 elder appearances for the nine earlier joining Monaco successful 2014.