Why Bernardo Silva's expected Manchester City departure is going to hit the club hard

[p][a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4He1KSQEUSpkwWvhjC997P?si=8ZYh175yTYahk2F8AxvxpQ" target="_blank"][i][b]Listen to the article with Spotify.[/b][/i][/a][/p][p]There have long been rumours that the serial Premier League winners could part with their most successful manager ever, Pep [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guardiola-pep/hxNijWrJ/"]Guardiola[/a], whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodri/K0G8DB00/"]Rodri[/a] certainly hasn't shut down stories linking him with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a].[/p][h2]Silva has made a decision on his future[/h2][p]More recently, news is gathering pace that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] will finally learn their punishment for breaking Financial Fair Play rules, with initial estimates suggesting they would be given a 60-point penalty, which would see them drop into the relegation zone.[/p][p]Furthermore, it's entirely possible that certain titles won during the period concerned would have to be relinquished as a result of such a punishment.[/p][image alt="Bernardo Silva's recent stats" id="52f9630a-17d3-49a6-978b-2bf78920886a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5dff056b-c74c-43d8-b85f-dc3563bd0113" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Clearly, then, the club don't need any more upheaval to deal with. However, it's now come to light that experienced midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/silva-bernardo/lUg03qcR/"]Bernardo Silva[/a] has decided on his own future.[/p][p]It would appear that the Portuguese has already informed his paymasters that this will be his last season at the Etihad Stadium, with it believed that clubs from MLS, the Saudi Pro League and also in Europe are all interested in his services.[/p][h2]True pedigree[/h2][p]At 31 years of age, he's still perfectly able to play for a few more seasons at the top level, though his £300,000 per week salary is second only to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a], and that could cause an issue for any suitor.[/p][p]There will, of course, be no transfer fee, given that Silva's contract runs out at the end of June, and that could be one positive aspect of negotiations.[/p][embed guid="968f46d9-8ddf-4d8d-8052-c28c10f0a0f5" url="https://x.com/BernardoCSilva/status/1932056973929062747" social-type="twitter" /][p]So, what would interested parties be getting for their money? For a start, they will have a leader who has a true footballing pedigree.[/p][p]During his time at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/benfica/zBkyuyRI/"]Benfica[/a], the midfielder won the Portuguese league, Portuguese Cup and league cup, whilst he's also won the Nations League twice with his national team, and bagged a French league title when at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/monaco/2PIvr8o4/"]Monaco[/a].[/p][h2]A vital part of Man City's success[/h2][p]Since arriving at Man City, he's played the fullest part in winning six Premier League titles, a Champions League, a FIFA Club World Cup, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.[/p][p]76 goals scored, and 74 assists created is a superb return for a creative midfielder, with only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-bruyne-kevin/MsPs6OI5/"]Kevin De Bruyne[/a] and some of the club's strikers ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aguero-sergio/KQybM6Bb/"]Sergio Aguero[/a], Haaland, etc.) ahead of him in this particular metric.[/p][embed guid="0c51d961-d05b-4649-8c7c-ddac8c9a25da" url="https://x.com/BernardoCSilva/status/1792296699064459641" social-type="twitter" /][p]A cumulative 31,840 minutes of action (447 appearances) is the most of any City player since Silva joined the club, evidencing just how important he's been to Guardiola.[/p][p]109 of those games have seen City keep a clean sheet, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ederson/fqEsbNyA/"]Ederson[/a] the only other player to be present in more than a century of games where his side has kept the opposition at bay.[/p][h2]Incredibly influential[/h2][p]Only Rodri and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/walker-kyle/QeLg6KGD/"]Kyle Walker[/a] have made more than the Portuguese's 20,475 total passes,  with Silva's 89.4% accuracy putting him in the top bracket in this regard. It's the Spaniard who edges him (14,299 to 14,059) for passes in the opposition half, too.[/p][p]With 687 open play crosses during his time at the club, only De Bruyne supercedes him at the top, though Silva's 18.5% accuracy is actually better than the Belgian's.[/p][image alt="Bernardo Silva radar graphic - Premier League 2025/26" id="70158328-6e38-4bbe-b953-f6c8eef2aa75" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="508e03cb-bc0e-43f4-9f3f-b40a6ca7bf17" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p]It's a similar story with chances created from open play and big chances created. Silva has created 587 chances and 103 big chances, whilst De Bruyne's figures are 746 and 255.[/p][p]Oddly enough for such a diminutive player, the Portuguese has totalled 108 flick-ons during his time at the club, which, again, is only bettered by De Bruyne.[/p][p]Another string to his bow, and a part of his game that perhaps has gone under the radar, is just how tenacious Silva can be.[/p][image alt="Bernardo Silva pass map - Premier League 2025/26" id="f19a51f5-a2c8-46a5-a439-c054668467aa" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="316872b7-4c44-4a38-a306-98869721be74" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p]For example, his total of 3,232 contested one-on-ones is the best in the entire squad, with only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sterling-raheem/pfm9avwi/"]Raheem Sterling[/a]'s 3,074 coming close.[/p][p]1,590 ball recoveries is only surpassed by Rodri's 2,078, though the roles are reversed when it comes to total tackles made - Silva has contested 574 whilst the Spaniard has involved himself in 532.[/p][h2]Long summer ahead for City?[/h2][p]One can only imagine what Guardiola must be thinking if he decides to stay on, knowing he could be losing both of his most influential midfielders. [/p][p]Perhaps that precise scenario is behind his own thinking of moving on, as clearly City won't be the same force of nature sans Rodri and Silva.[/p][embed guid="b4ba4035-7527-47c4-a8d6-2655082d65dc" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2035789899081642446" social-type="twitter" /][p]What's abundantly clear is that the Portuguese, whilst something of an unsung hero at the club, has been absolutely vital to the squad and its development over the past few seasons.[/p][p]What is it they say... You don't realise what you've got until you lose it.[/p][image alt="Jason Pettigrove" id="7349747b-bc8c-4344-abfa-0a8adcd37a73" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="3e38ffe8-fa42-4cec-b330-1c83078d83d5" original-width="1200" original-height="380" /]