Manchester City midfielder makes transfer decision amid future speculation | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva is set to stay put at the Etihad Stadium as speculation looms over the future of the Portugal international at Manchester City, as per a new report.

Silva is entering the final 12 months of his current City deal and has been linked with a departure every summer since his head was turned by Barcelona in 2020, when he came close to leaving for Camp Nou.

However, Barcelona’s failure to cough up Manchester City’s asking price for the 30-year-old has meant Silva has been unable to get his long-desired move closer to his homeland amid interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica.

A six-time Premier League and UEFA Champions League winner, Silva has been one of Guardiola’s most important signings since joining for £43 million from AS Monaco in 2017 after a Ligue 1 winning, breakthrough year in France.

Despite a trophy-laden career under Guardiola at City, Silva has remained a hot topic of speculation every summer owing to his desire of a new challenge. After eight seasons in Manchester, the midfielder has once again been linked with an exit.

Benfica are believed to be keen on adding the playmaker to their ranks ahead of the new season but it remains to be seen if the Portuguese outfit can meet Manchester City’s valuation as the midfielder enters the final year of his contract.

Silva has seen long-term friend and teammate Kevin De Bruyne join Napoli on a free transfer after the Belgian was refused a new deal as he approached the end of his Manchester City contract.

Ilkay Gundogan, 34, is expected to stay at Manchester City into the new season but there have remained question marks over what the reopening of the transfer window next month could mean for Silva, who has flown to the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup.

As reported by FPL Maine Road on social media platform X, Silva is set to stay at Manchester City this summer. While there has been no noise on contract renewal talks between the Portuguese and the club, Silva staying would ordinarily mean City would look to offer him a new deal to avoid the risk of losing him for free next summer.

However, City allowed Kevin De Bruyne to enter the final year of his contract and eventually allowed the Belgian to leave after deciding against extending his deal – which went against the club’s mantra for dealing with contract extensions over the years.

Silva is a very popular figure in the Manchester City dressing room and has seen it all, done it all, won it all under Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. The midfielder is one of Guardiola’s longest-serving players in a sky blue jersey.

Guardiola famously said in 2018 that Silva would stay with him for as long as he would be Manchester City manager and with the Catalan manager signing a new deal till 2027 last fall, it does seem that Silva will stay on with the man who brought him to England from Monaco.