Silva will leave Manchester City after winning the Champions League and six Premier League titles during his nine-year spell with the club.
Published April 6, 2026
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club at the end of the season, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has confirmed.
“Every good story comes to an end,” Lijnders told reporters after City’s 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
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“I hope he enjoys his remaining months and has a good farewell. He deserves all the attention he gets.”
The 31-year-old Portugal international, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League in nine years at the Etihad Stadium, will leave as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the campaign.
Manager Josep Guardiola, who was suspended for touching the touchline during the match, previously described Silva as “irreplaceable”.
Silva joined City from AS Monaco in 2017 for a fee of around $57.35 million and has since made 450 appearances for the club.
Known for his tactical versatility, superb technique and tireless effort, the midfielder has been a key part of City’s team under Guardiola.
City, who won the League Cup last month, are still in contention for the domestic treble as the 2025-26 season enters its final week, despite trailing Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points.
The Manchester club have one game in hand, but eight games left to close the gap.
Silva becomes the second key player to leave a top-four Premier League club this season, following Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah who announced his departure from the defending champions in May.
The 33-year-old Egypt international confirmed the news in a video message on his social media accounts last month.
“Unfortunately, that day has come. This is the first part of the farewell,” Salah said. “I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of this season.”
Signed from AS Roma in 2017, Salah helped Liverpool win two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups, establishing himself as one of the club’s all-time great players and also winning the FA Community Shield.
He made 435 appearances and scored 255 goals, making him the club’s third all-time top scorer, during which time he won the Premier League’s Golden Boot award four times.
