Bernardo Silva to leave City
Bernardo Silva announced he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a long, trophy-filled run with the club — he was Pep Guardiola’s most-used player and featured in roles from central midfield to a false nine. (x.com) Teammates and pundits are highlighting his versatility and the part he played in City’s Champions League success as discussions about his legacy pick up on social feeds. (x.com)
Bernardo Silva said on April 16 that he will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. (mancity.com) Manchester City said Silva joined from Monaco in 2017 and has made 451 appearances in nine seasons. The club said the 31-year-old leaves with 15 major trophies. (mancity.com) The Associated Press listed those honors as six Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League title among the 15. Silva wrote in a letter to supporters that what the team “won and achieved together” will stay with him. (apnews.com) Silva’s exit lands in a season when Manchester City are playing out the final weeks of another Premier League campaign and preparing for a summer squad reset. His deal runs through June 2026, and ESPN reported he chose to move on as a free agent. (espn.com) His role under Pep Guardiola was rarely fixed to one spot. Transfermarkt lists him across attacking midfield, right wing and central midfield, and City used him in both midfield and forward lines during its title-winning years. (transfermarkt.com) In the Premier League alone, Silva has 297 appearances, 45 goals and 50 assists for City, according to the league’s official player page. Those numbers cover a run from his 2017 arrival through the current season. (premierleague.com) One of his defining European nights came on May 17, 2023, when he scored twice in a 4-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal second leg. UEFA said that result sent City through 5-1 on aggregate to the Istanbul final. (uefa.com) City’s own match report from that night called Silva’s two goals central to the club reaching the final for the second time in three seasons. A few weeks later, City beat Inter Milan 1-0 to win the club’s first European Cup. (mancity.com) His departure closes one of the longest-running links to Guardiola’s first title-winning City side. Manchester City said Silva has moved into the club’s top 10 for all-time appearances during his final season. (mancity.com)
