Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has confirmed he will leave the Premier League champions when his contract expires at the end of the current season, marking the end of a remarkable seven-year tenure.
The 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder, who joined from Monaco in 2017, made the announcement via social media, expressing deep gratitude to the club and its supporters. Silva has been instrumental in City's unprecedented success, making 451 appearances while contributing 76 goals and 77 assists.
"What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart," Silva wrote. "The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the four in a row and much more. It wasn't that bad."
Silva's trophy cabinet with City is nothing short of spectacular. His 15 major honors include last month's Carabao Cup victory, the historic Treble in 2022-23, the Premier League title with 100 points in 2017-18, and four consecutive league titles between 2021 and 2024. He was named club captain following Kevin de Bruyne's departure last summer.
In his emotional farewell message, Silva emphasized his connection with the fans: "My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys could feel proud and well represented on the pitch. I hope you felt that every single game."
He added a poignant note about his future relationship with the club: "I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life. Keep supporting this young team and I'm pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new fantastic memories in the future."
Silva's departure represents another significant change for Pep Guardiola's squad. The midfielder has evolved from an attacking playmaker to a deeper, more defensive role under Guardiola's guidance, becoming what analysts describe as "the manager's most trusted lieutenant and his voice on the field."
Despite not matching Kevin de Bruyne's statistical output, Silva earned the captain's armband for his consistent presence and leadership, particularly during last season when City failed to win major silverware. His work rate was evident in Sunday's crucial victory at Chelsea.
City currently sit second in the Premier League and face Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals on April 25, giving Silva potential opportunities to add to his impressive collection of honors before his departure.
The Portuguese international is the only player from City's modern era to feature in the club's all-time top 10 appearances list, currently sharing eighth position with club legend Mike Summerbee.