'A Man City supporter for life' - Bernardo Silva issues statement as he confirms exit

• 

• Sport
• Football
• Bernardo Silva

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva will say goodbye to the club in the summer after nine hugely successful years.

Manchester City and Bernardo Silva have confirmed that the midfielder will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season. Silva will depart after nine years at the Etihad, with his final game set to be the Premier League home game against Aston Villa on Sunday, May 24.

Silva, who arrived from Monaco in 2017, is already one of the most decorated players in the history of the club and has cemented his reputation as one of their greatest-ever servants after seeing out his contract. Pep Guardiola broke from previous practice in his coaching career to ask the Portugal international to captain his team this year as he saw Silva as the man to restore standards.

That job has been done, and Silva lifted his first trophy as captain last month when City beat Arsenal to win the Carabao Cup. With Southampton waiting in the FA Cup semi-final and the Premier League title race in their hands ahead of a huge match with the Gunners on Sunday at the Etihad, there are two competitions that could make Silva the most successful ever at City.

Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter

He will also end his City career with more appearances than nearly anyone else at the club, with Sunday's game against Arsenal set to take him level with Mike Summerbee in eighth place. His last game at Stamford Bridge also saw him overtake Luis Boa Morte to stand alone as the Portuguese player with the most appearances in the Premier League.

His exit has been signposted for the last year and was finally confirmed by club and player with statements on Thursday afternoon.

"Cityzens, when I arrived 9 years ago, I was following a dream of a little boy, wanting to succeed in life, wanting to achieve great things," said Bernardo. "This city and this club gave me much more than that, much more than I ever hoped for. What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart. The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the Four In A Row and much more… It wasn’t that bad.

"In a few months it’s time to say goodbye to the city where not only we won so much as a football club, but also where I started my marriage and my family. From the bottom of my heart, Ines and Carlota, thank you!

"To the fans, your unconditional support throughout the years is something that I will never forget. 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. 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.

"To the club, Pep, the staff and all my teammates these nine years, thank you for all the memories and for letting me be a part of this journey for so long. The atmosphere we created every day in the training ground made me feel at home and a part of a big family. Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us."