Ciaran Morrison

Tue 31 March 2026 18:00, UK

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Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva could have limited options in the summer transfer market, according to Keith Wyness.

The former Everton chief executive, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, states that the current conflict in the Middle East could put an end to any move to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia faces growing concerns about attracting players to the region, despite the high wages stars could earn.

Silva has yet to commit his future to any club, with his contract at Man City expiring at the end of the campaign.

The 31-year-old has spent nine years at the Etihad, and could be a high-profile departure from Man City’s squad this summer.

Man City ‘are going to let Bernardo Silva leave’

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – is tipping Silva to move to Italy, where Juventus have shown interest in the Portugal international.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks Silva would struggle to convince his family to move to Saudi Arabia right now.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “The whole Saudi issue, we’ve got to look at the whole world event right now.

“You’ve got to think if you’re a player, ‘can I really sell it to my wife and family that we’re going to go and live in Saudi Arabia right now?’.

“It’s a genuine issue, and that’s got to be something that perhaps we’ll go into in more detail about. How the impact of all these events in the world right now are going to affect sports in general.

“That’s really a big long subject for another day, but certainly in terms of Silva, I think it reduces his choices and the leverage of agents to other clubs where they can go.

“I do think that City are going to let him go and he will go. And I believe Italy is the right move for him.”

Who could replace Bernardo Silva at Man City?

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson has been seen as a prime target for Man City, and Pep Guardiola’s side look to be the front-runners to sign the 23-year-old.

However, sources have told Football Insider that Man City also hold an interest in Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali.

A box-to-box midfielder, Tonali has been a key component in Newcastle’s side, and the 25-year-old may want to ensure he continues playing European football next season.

Newcastle are set to miss out on Europe, whilst Man City would be able to offer the Italian Champions League football at the Etihad.