Manchester City have seen numerous big-name players leave the club in recent years during previous summer transfer windows.
Names such as Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, among others, have waved goodbye to the Etihad Stadium to start new chapters elsewhere.
With another season now over and done with, Pep Guardiola’s side proved they haven’t missed any of their recent departures, as they won their sixth Premier League title in seven years and became the first side to win four in a row.
With another summer transfer window close to opening, some behind-the-scenes details have come to light regarding how the Manchester club feel about one specific player in their squad and the possibility of him leaving in the near future.
How Man City feel about Bernardo Silva’s future amid latest exit links
A recent report from ESPN had this to say on the matter.
It said: “Sources have told ESPN that there is growing hope Bernardo Silva might stay this summer.
“The midfielder has a £50m release clause in his contract and is keen to pursue a fresh challenge after seven years at the Etihad.
“Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have shown interest in the past but, according to a source, Barcelona are unlikely to have the necessary funds for the transfer and Silva has slipped down PSG’s list of summer targets.”
Since joining the Citizens back in 2017, the midfielder has racked up 355 appearances across all competitions, scoring 66 goals and providing the same number of assists along the way.
Silva is a key figure for City
In his latest season for City, the 29-year-old, who was heavily linked with a move away last summer, started 43 of the 49 games he appeared in.
This highlights just how much of an important player he is for the team.
In fact, after seeing Silva score the winning goal in City’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final, Guardiola said that he feels “comfortable” when the Portuguese international is on the pitch due to his intelligence in terms of being able to keep the ball.
With all of that in mind, if the midfielder were to stay at City this summer, this would surely be a big positive for everyone at the club, especially Guardiola.