LONDON – Premier League powerhouse Manchester City sent shockwaves through European football on Thursday, confirming that club captain Bernardo Silva will depart the Etihad Stadium when the current campaign concludes this summer. In an official announcement, the club paid glowing tribute to the 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder, describing his impact on the club’s historic era of dominance as “incalculable.”
Since signing from Ligue 1 side Monaco in 2017, Silva has cemented his status as one of the most influential players in Manchester City’s modern history. Across eight seasons with Pep Guardiola’s trophy-laden side, he has racked up more than 450 appearances – a milestone that recently pushed him into the club’s all-time top 10 for most senior appearances, outstripping club icons including David Silva, Paul Power and Willie Donachie. His attacking output for the Citizens stands equally impressive: 76 goals and 77 assists in all competitions, a testament to his consistent creative and goal-scoring threat from midfield.
Over his tenure at the club, Silva helped Manchester City claim 15 major senior trophies, an unparalleled haul that includes six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League crown, multiple FA Cups and League Cups. His contributions have been central to City’s run as the dominant force in English football over the past decade, the greatest sustained period of success in the club’s 145-year history.
As he prepares to bring his Manchester City chapter to a close, the club said Silva will remain fully focused on adding more silverware to his collection before he exits. Guardiola’s side is still firmly in contention for a historic domestic double, sitting in tight contention for the 2024/25 Premier League title and advancing deep into the FA Cup competition.
Silva shared his own emotional reflection on his departure via his personal Instagram account, touching on the personal as well as professional roots he built in Manchester. “In a few months it’s time to say goodbye to the city where not only we won so much as a football club, but also where I started my marriage and my family,” he wrote. “From the bottom of my heart, Ines and Carlota, thank you!”