Bernardo Silva to leave Man City in the summer: 'Let's enjoy together these last weeks'

AFC BournemouthArsenalAston VillaBrentfordBrighton & Hove AlbionBurnleyChelseaCrystal PalaceEvertonFulhamLeeds UnitedLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedNottingham ForestSunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedWolverhampton WanderersScores & ScheduleStandingsFantasyThe Athletic FC NewsletterPodcastsRare Title ShowdownArsenal's New Blueprint?Liverpool’s Huge SummerBernardo Silva to leave Man City in the summer: ‘Let’s enjoy together these last weeks’ Ian Kington / AFP via Getty Images Share articleManchester City have confirmed that Bernardo Silva will leave the club after nine years this summer. City assistant coach Pep Lijnders had said in early April that Bernardo was set to depart at the end of the season, when his contract expires. In a statement on Thursday, City made that official, saying the versatile Portugal midfielder would be “deservedly remembered both as one of City’s finest and most popular players of all time”. The 31-year-old posted an open letter to City fans on his social media accounts, in which he thanked the club and said “what we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart”. “I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life,” he added. “Keep supporting this young team and I’m pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new fantastic memories in the future. “To the club, Pep (Guardiola), the staff and all my team-mates these nine years, thank you for all the memories and for letting me be a part of this journey for so long. “Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us.” Thank you @ManCity 💙 pic.twitter.com/yznSiqxiPp — Bernardo Silva (@BernardoCSilva) April 16, 2026 Bernardo signed a contract extension in August 2023, adding a further 12 months to terms which were due to expire in the summer of 2025. Shortly before, he had been the subject of a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, while The Athletic also reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. He took over as City captain in the summer after the exits of Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne. He will become the third successive captain to leave having served less than two full seasons. Bernardo has featured regularly for City this season, playing in 39 of their 40 matches in the Premier League and Champions League — missing only the trip to Bodo/Glimt in January due to suspension. The 107-cap Portugal international joined City from Monaco in the summer of 2017, and has played a sizeable role in the club’s success over the past decade. He has won six Premier League titles while in Manchester, and played 55 times in all competitions during the 2022-23 season when Guardiola’s side won the treble. Bernardo has made 451 appearances for the club, recording 76 goals and 77 assists. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms