Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club at the end of the season, assistant manager Pep Lijnders confirmed on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Portugal international, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during a nine-year spell at the Etihad Stadium, will leave as a free agent when his contract expires after the season ends.
“Every good story comes to an end,” Lijnders told reporters after City’s 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool. «I hope he enjoys the last few months – there are only six weeks left – and gets a good send-off. He deserves all that attention.»
Pep Guardiola, who served a touchline suspension during the match, has previously described Silva as ‘irreplaceable’.
Silva joined City from AS Monaco in 2017 for a fee of around £43.5 million ($57.35 million) and has since made 450 appearances for the club.
The midfielder is known for his tactical versatility, excellent technique and tireless work rate and was a cornerstone of City’s squad under Guardiola.
After winning the League Cup last month, City remain in contention for a domestic treble as the 2025/26 season enters its final weeks, despite trailing Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points.
The Manchester club still has one game in hand and eight games remaining to bridge the gap.
(with input from Reuters)
Published on April 6, 2026
