Bernardo Silva says his Manchester City exit was settled two years ago

Bernardo Silva says his Manchester City departure was decided long before this season reached its final stretch. He has also said he questioned whether making him captain made sense, because he knew it would be his last year at the club.

Why Silva did not see this as a contract fight

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Bernardo Silva said: "It was a decision I made two years ago, that I would see out my contract and then we would go our separate ways. When I made the decision, I knew I wouldn't change my mind."

He added that City "tried" to keep him, but his position did not move. That matters because it frames this as a planned exit rather than a late standoff. Silva was not waiting to be convinced. He had already settled on the idea of leaving.

The most revealing detail came when Pep Guardiola asked him to be captain this season. Silva said he told Guardiola it might not make much sense, because it was his last year and he was not going to stay. He suggested Guardiola choose another player who would remain at the club.

That is a fairly blunt answer from a captain, and it says a lot about how fixed the decision was. The armband did not change his view, and neither did City’s attempts to persuade him.

What happens next for Silva

Silva has not yet finalised his next move. In a separate interview with Goal, he said: "I don't have anything finalised, and I don't know where I'm going to play. I really don't know. I have an idea of what I want to do."

He also said the decision would only be made at the end of the season, and that competitive level and family life will both shape what comes next. He did not confirm any destination, and the brief is clear that neither Benfica nor Saudi Arabia should be treated as his next stop.

The numbers still show how much City have used him while this decision was already in place. Silva has made 37 appearances in all competitions this season, with 2 goals and 4 assists. In the league, he has 36 Premier League appearances and 4 assists.

That is why the story is less about a sudden breakup and more about timing. Silva has kept playing, kept contributing, and kept the exit plan in the background. The only thing he has not done is change his mind.