Manchester City will reportedly allow a long-standing icon of the club to leave in the summer, not prioritising him at the club for one important reason.
City are no strangers to allowing an iconic player leave on a free rather than retaining them. Last season, one of their best-ever players, Kevin De Bruyne, was allowed to walk away after six Premier League titles, a Champions League and more trophies in his 422 games.
This summer, a very similar situation could occur, with Bernardo Silva out of contract, himself having played 442 games for City so far.
According to Spanish outlet El Nacional, his time at the club ‘seems to be coming to an end’ as the Citizens won’t prioritise him by handing him a new deal.
Per the report, Pep Guardiola ‘would have been very clear’ in telling him that his time at City could be coming to its conclusion.
It’s suggested that’s a question of age, with City prioritising younger profiles and players who are going to give them much longer service.
Silva has played for City for nine seasons, but is now 31 and it is indeed a crucial time to make a decision on his future.
Should be definitely be shown the door, his time at the top level might not come to an end just yet.
There have been links of late with Barcelona and Real Madrid, and neither of those clubs would turn down the chance to sign a player who’s still performing well, on a free transfer.
Barca, amid their financial plight, have made a habit of landing players on free transfers of late given it’s easier for them to secure talent that way than attempting to buy players.
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Real are well known for waiting for a player’s contract to run down before snaring them, as they have done in recent seasons with Kylian Mbappe and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
As such, it feels likely that those two clubs will be in the mix for Silva when the time comes that City do let him go.
There is still a period of the season left yet in which he could renew his deal at the Etihad, and he could perform so well that the club has no choice but to give him a new deal.
But after De Bruyne was allowed to leave last season, it would not be a surprise to see that same happen to Silva this term.
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