Bernardo Silva, Manchester City Skipper, Set to Exit at Season's End, Says Pep Lijnders

The 31 year old Portuguese player, featuring in six Premier League triumphs plus the Champions League over nine years at Etihad Stadium, plans to exit as a free agent once his deal runs out following the seasons close.

"Every good story comes to an end," Lijnders shared with journalists following Citys 4 0 FA Cup quarter final win against Liverpool. "I hope he savours the remaining months, with just six weeks to go, and gets a fitting send off. He merits every bit of that focus."

Pep Guardiola, sidelined by a touchline ban for the game, once called Silva "irreplaceable".

Silva arrived at City from AS Monaco back in 2017 for around £43.5million reportedly, going on to rack up 450 outings for the team. Renowned for his positional flexibility, excellent skills and relentless effort, this midfielder has formed a key part of Guardiolas squad at City.

Having secured the League Cup recently, City still chase a domestic treble with the 2025/26 season winding down in its closing stages, even as they sit nine points behind Premier League frontrunners Arsenal. The side from Manchester holds a match to play and eight fixtures left to close the gap.