Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva is set to leave the club at the end of this season.
The 31-year-old Portugal international has won six Premier League titles and one Champions League title in nine seasons at City, but is set to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season.
Speaking at a press conference after City’s 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup last Saturday, assistant coach Pep Lijnders said “all good stories come to an end” and admitted it would be impossible for the club to replace their skipper.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Watch Bernardo Silva’s best Manchester City Premier League goals
“You can’t replace a player with the same type of player because they don’t exist. Bernardo Silva is unique.” said Lijnders, who replaced Pep Guardiola after the manager handed him a touchline suspension.
The Dutchman added: “The way he controls the game, the way he moves, the way he receives, the way he leads, the way he sees solutions, everything.
“It’s not about finding a replacement for one type of player, it’s about finding someone who has what it takes to grow with the team and who can fit into the first XI.
“And hopefully with our academy and the young players we have already brought in, we can take that step in the midfield position as well, but if you look at our young players in the academy, they need to take that step and grow.
“But the most important thing is that the seniors are going to stay for a long time, that they are going to stay, that the core is there and that we can move around that.
“But it will be difficult because, as I said, you will see how he is missed in the game when he is not playing. And that is one game. Imagine the season.
“But every good story has an end.
“I hope he’s enjoyed the last few months. It’s only six weeks left and he’s had a great goodbye and he deserves all the attention too.”
Bernardo Silva lifts the Carabao Cup as his Manchester City team-mates celebrate.
Analysis: Manchester City’s unselfish maestro
It is appropriate now that news of Silva’s departure is imminent. He returned home after lifting the Carabao Cup at Wembley and played a key role in dismantling Liverpool. This brought to mind what Guardiola said after a 3-0 win over the same team last November.
“He is a master.” Guardiola said after that special match. “The tempo, winning the ball, accelerating, decelerating, the instinct to know where the space is, how to manage situations and so many other things. He is one of the smartest players I have ever met.”
That’s probably how City supporters will remember the diminutive midfielder. They will remember his standout moments that, combined with his endless work rate, made him fearsome. Whether deep in midfield or on the wing, he had the answer for his team.
Manager Guardiola has liked him for a long time. After a first trophyless season, the often cited turning point of the summer of 2017 was the introduction of Ederson in goal and the pace of Kyle Walker. But Bernardo’s arrival was big.
His attitude became a symbol of what Guardiola wanted from City. Sure, he’s technically proficient, but he’s also incredibly hungry. Walker thinks of the team before himself. Even when things aren’t going well. Guardiola will never forget that part.
He made that loud and clear to reporters earlier this season. “Bernardo had a poor season last season. But he was there. Every game. Every game. He was tired. After 50 or 60 minutes (of a game last season), he couldn’t play another minute,” he explained.
“At one point he said: ‘Pep, I’m tired. My heart has no more feet.’ But he was there. And I have told my players and him many times that I will never forget that. That is why he is my captain. “Because even in the bad moments, he was there.”
Bernardo Silva’s Manchester City Premier League minutes by position
Silva had more good moments than bad, as he influenced the game not only with his ability but also with his attitude. While at Monaco, he helped them win the title over Paris Saint-Germain. He even captained Benfica’s B team to a league title.
Interestingly, his way of thinking wasn’t always the way it is now. Silva himself credits the influence of Fernando Chalana at Benfica academy for opening his eyes. The player later described that conversation as the most important one of his life.
Chalana, a 5’5″ player, told the teenage Bernardo not to be discouraged by his lack of time at the academy because he would go on to become better than them all. One remembers telling Benfica coach Joao Tralhao how this changed everything.
“He had to change his way of thinking,” Tralhao explained. “Professional football will put a lot of obstacles in front of you. You can’t give up. You have to move forward. He had to understand what he can do and what he can’t do.” It worked.
Pep Guardiola relies heavily on Bernardo Silva to set the tone for Manchester City.
Despite his diminutive stature, Silva transformed himself into a treadmill, leading City’s press and setting the tone as one of the few other strong figures in the game. A favorite with his teammates and fans, Silva didn’t need to win the Ballon d’Or.
Talking to him about this in the summer of 2024, he listened patiently as this reporter asked him questions about individual prize money in football. He thought about that question. And it made it very clear what rank the trinket held for him.
“I think we are giving these awards the right amount of importance,” he said. “After all, we are playing a collective sport. These days, individual awards always go to the strikers, because they have the final touch.”
He added: “When I look at the individual awards and only the players who score get the awards, I feel like they don’t represent our sport that well.” For Silva, City’s unselfish maestro, the most important thing has always been the team. But that makes him a special person.
