Manchester City must consider these three players to replace Bernardo Silva
Man City captain Bernardo Silva has hinted that his time with the club may be drawing to a close as he enters the final year of his deal.
Silva was signed by Man City in 2017 after his Monaco side eliminated Pep Guardiola‘s team from the UEFA Champions League, leaving the Spaniard and his coaching staff in awe.
Fast forward eight years, and the Portuguese gem is now captain of Guardiola’s City, with 416 appearances and 17 major trophies to his name in sky blue.
But it looks as though his time at the club may be reaching its conclusion, after Silva told reporters that he has already made a decision about his future.
Silva is an incredibly unique player, with a rare mixture of intelligence, skill and physicality, often playing the role of a second coach on the pitch.
City will not be able to replace him like for like, but there are other unique stars around Europe who they should keep in mind.
Kees Smit
AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit has been highly rated at youth level for a numbers of years, but the 19-year-old truly put himself on the map after being named player of the tournament at the 2025 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
Smit was the joint-top scorer at the tournament with four goals as he starred for a Dutch side that went all the way, defeating a stacked Spain team in a close final.
Able to play in a number of midfield roles, Smit has often drawn comparison to a former teammate of Silva’s, Kevin De Bruyne.
Despite playing in a deeper role for AZ this season in the Eredivisie, Smit has still contributed to three goals in seven appearances.
Aged only 19, Smit’s metrics hint at a strong creative presence, ranking third in the Dutch top-flight for passes into the penalty area (17).
| 2025-26 Eredivisie | Kees Smit | League rank |
| Passes Into Penalty Area | 17 | 3 |
| Shot-Creating Actions | 37 | 4 |
| Expected Assists | 2.3 | 8 |
| Key Passes | 16 | 8 |
| Carries Into Final Third | 17 | 11 |
The Dutch youngster also ranks fourth for shot-creating actions (37), while he ranks eighth for both expected assists (2.3) and key passes (16).
Smit has already been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, and it is looking increasingly likely that he will be snapped up by a top European club next summer.
Adam Wharton
If Smit does end up joining Palace, it may well be because they have signed him as a replacement for Adam Wharton, and if Wharton leaves Palace, he would struggle to find a better fit for his style than Guardiola’s City.
Wharton ranks fourth in the Premier League this season for through balls (5), seventh for expected assists (1.3) and 13th for key passes (11), all of which come with the caveat of playing in a deep midfield role for Palace.
One thing Wharton doesn’t have in common with Silva is durability, and he has missed a lot of football for Palace, making only 20 appearances in the Premier League last season.
Nonetheless, it appears to be only a matter of time until the Blackburn-born midfielder leaves Selhurst Park.
Indeed, some of Europe’s top clubs have shown a genuine interest in acquiring Wharton’s services, and City themselves have been linked in the past.
Maghnes Akliouche
Man City could return to Monaco once more to find the next Bernardo Silva.
High-level performances in Ligue 1 have resulted in increased exposure for Maghnes Akliouche, who has been named in back-to-back France squads this season.
Akliouche was an option for Tottenham this summer when the club were looking for reinforcements in attacking positions.
He plays further forward than Smit and Wharton, but shares Silva’s blend of skill and indefatigable enthusiasm.
Akliouche leads all attacking midfielders and wingers in Ligue 1 this season for clearances and ball recoveries on a per 90-minute basis, highlighting some of his similarities to Silva in terms of defensive aptitude.
He has also showcased great shot selection, with his 0.23 expected goals per shot the best of any player in his position.
Although he has only registered one assist this season, only two players set up more goals than Akliouche in Ligue 1 last term (10), with one of those being Rayan Cherki (11).