According to a report from Sports Illustrated, Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has hinted on a possible summer exit from the Etihad in a recent interview. The Portugal international was the subject of much speculation for a move to Barcelona last summer. However, with the Catalan club’s financial situation, they couldn’t meet the valuation of the Sky Blues which was set in the region of £100 million.
Silva’s Campaign With Manchester City So Far This Season
Silva has had a solid start this season with Man City as he continues to perform at a high level. The City playmaker has scored two goals and produced five assists over twenty-one appearances for the Mancunian giants this season across all competitions.
The Lisbon-born sensation has expressed himself flawlessly in the final third based on his average of 1.6 tackles, 0.9 shots, 1.4 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He has even been accurate in distributing possession to his teammates, after completing 89.9% of his attempted passes in the English top flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Guardiola Sanction His Exit?
Silva can make a few clever runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty box and has got the vision to make decisive passes to set up his teammates in front of the goal. He can shoot the ball with power and accuracy from long range. Furthermore, he has the ability to keep hold of the ball and get out of tight situations when under pressure.
The 28-year-old is primarily a right-sided wide player but can even play as a left-winger or as a box-to-box midfielder if required. This versatility makes him a perfect fit for Pep Guardiola as he remains flexible in playing virtually anywhere in the final third. He has already proven to be a key part of Guardiola’s offence and his exit would deal a huge blow to the attacking department at the Etihad club.
If Silva were to exit Man City next summer, bringing in a decent reinforcement might prove difficult, so Guardiola would be wise to renew his contract at the club and keep him for a couple of more years as he brings more creativity and quality into the attacking third.
