Bernardo Silva future clarified as Man City look in new direction

Manchester City assistant manager Pep Lijnders have given an hint about Bernardo Silva’s future at the club, with the Portuguese set to leave in the summer.

Silva has spent nine wonderful years at the Etihad Stadium, having joined the Citizens from Monaco in 2017. He is now set to begin a new adventure when his contract expire in the summer.

Comments made by Lijnders after Saturday’s FA Cup win over Liverpool also proved a decision has been made.

The City coach told reporters: “You never replace a player with the same kind of player because they don’t exist.

“Bernardo Silva is unique. The way he controls games, the way he moves, the way he receives, the way he leads, the way he sees the solutions. All these things.

“But it will be hard because, as I said, in the game, when he is not playing you will see how he is missed, and that’s one game. Imagine a season.

“But every good story comes to an end, and I hope he enjoys the last months, there are only six weeks, and has a good farewell.

“He deserves all that attention as well.”

Bernardo Silva during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Lijnders went on to hint that the club could promote a player from their own academy to replace Silva in the side.

He added: “You never search for a replacement of one type of player.

“You search for what is needed to grow with the team and somebody who can fit in the first 11.

“And then you hope, with our academy, with the young players we already bought that they can make that step as well in the midfield positions.

“If you see our young boys in the academy, then they have to make that step and to grow.

“But the most important is that the seniors who stay for a long time, that they stay, that they are always there and, around that, you can move.”

Named captain by Pep Guardiola last summer following Kevin De Bruyne’s exit, Silva currently has
450 appearances for the club, scoring 76 goals.

The 31-year-old has also won 18 trophies including the Champions League and six Premier League titles.