Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva will depart the club at the end of the season, assistant manager Pep Lijnders confirmed on Sunday. The announcement followed City’s 4-0 FA Cup quarterfinal victory over Liverpool.
“Every good story comes to an end,” Lijnders told reporters after the match. “I hope he enjoys the last months—there are only six weeks left—and has a good farewell. He deserves all that attention.”
Silva, 31, has spent nine years at the Etihad Stadium. During his tenure, the Portugal international secured six Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy. He joined the club from AS Monaco in 2017 for a reported $57.35 million fee and has since made 450 appearances.
A legacy of tactical versatility
Known for his tireless work rate and technical precision, Silva became a central figure under manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola has previously labeled the midfielder “irreplaceable” for his role in the team’s ongoing success.
City currently remains in contention for a domestic treble following their League Cup win last month. Despite trailing Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points, the club has eight matches remaining and one game in hand to narrow the gap.
Silva is the latest high-profile departure from the Premier League’s top clubs. Last month, Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah announced he would exit the defending champions in May.
Salah, who joined Liverpool in 2017, confirmed his departure via a social media video message. The 33-year-old leaves as the club’s third-highest all-time goal scorer, having netted 255 times in 435 appearances.
Like Salah, Silva will leave as a free agent once his contract concludes at the end of the campaign. The upcoming weeks mark the final chapter of a tenure that redefined the midfield dynamics for the Manchester side.
