Manchester City assistant manager Pep Lijnders has effectively confirmed that club captain Bernardo Silva will depart the Etihad Stadium when his contract expires this summer.
The 31-year-old Portuguese international, who joined from Monaco in 2017, is set to conclude a legendary nine-season tenure that yielded 18 major trophies and 450 appearances.
Lijnders, speaking after City’s 4-0 FA Cup triumph over Liverpool, described Silva as “unique,” noting that his ability to orchestrate games and find solutions makes him practically irreplaceable.
“Every good story comes to an end,” Lijnders remarked, urging fans to give the midfielder a fitting farewell during the final six weeks of the 2025/26 campaign.
While Silva has been heavily linked with a dream move to FC Barcelona, interest remains high from Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and his boyhood club, Benfica.
