Man City tipped to sanction Bernardo Silva exit after ‘big’ reveal – pundit
Kevin Phillips has claimed it would be “a big blow” to Man City and the Premier League if Bernardo Silva leaves next year.
However, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Sunderland and England striker insisted you cannot force the 27-year-old to stay if he is homesick.
Silva has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League this season, with nine goal contributions to his name.
As quoted by the Daily Mail (18 March), the Portugal international told Channel 11 he misses his country “a lot” and would like to return in “a year of two.”
He spoke of his admiration for Benfica and how he could love to play for the club once again.
His contract at the Etihad runs until the summer of 2025.
When asked for his thoughts on the potential exit of Bernardo Silva in 2023, Phillips told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs: “It’d be a big blow to Man City and the Premier League.
“We want the best players in the world in England. We want to attract the best players here. It would be a shame if we lost him.
“You have to think about the player though. These foreign players probably miss their friends and family and it is only natural that he will want to return at some point.
“If Bernardo Silva is missing home that much then you let him go. You don’t want to keep an unhappy player. He has been a great servant for City.
“He would leave with all of the fans best wishes. Guardiola is a humble guy so I’m sure he would be the first to back his corner over that.”
In other news, a pundit suspects Jack Grealish could be handed a new role at Man City after an ‘unbelievable’ reveal.