Man City star ‘could make shock summer exit and return to his former club’ – with the player ‘willing to take a pay cut on his £300k-a-week salary’
A Man City star is seriously considering a return to his former club in the upcoming summer transfer window, according to a sensational report.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been a shadow of their usual dominant selves this season, as they find themselves at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time in the Spaniard’s eight-year tenure at the Etihad.
The latest to call it quits on his time on the blue side of Manchester was Kevin De Bruyne, with the Belgian announcing an end to his decade-long spell at City last week.
And now, the door is thought to be open for Bernardo Silva to return to Benfica at the end of the season, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.
The 30-year-old has previously been rumoured with a reunion at his boyhood club, but these were thought to be plans for when the sun sets on his career.
Silva’s £300,000-a-week contract at City expires at the end of next season, but it is believed that he is willing to take a pay cut at Benfica.
Bernardo Silva could make a shock return to Benfica in the summer, according to a report
The Man City star is thought to be willing to take a pay cut on his £300,000-a-week salary
Silva started at Benfica’s academy and played for the first team before joining Monaco in 2015
There is also optimism on the club’s side that the deal could go through, as Benfica is Silva’s preferred destination if he were to leave City.
Another option for the Portuguese midfielder is Barcelona, but a switch to the Catalan club is seen as a much less likely outcome.
This reports comes a week after 33-year-old De Bruyne announced he will leave City in the summer, and six weeks after Guardiola conceded that his ageing side cannot hack the intensity of their current schedule.
‘We have to sit down with the doctors, the players, agents and be clear that some of them cannot sustain playing every three days,’ Guardiola said after their defeat to Real Madrid in the round of 16 playoffs in February.
‘This is the reality. A lot of players cannot sustain what we have done in the past every week in, week out. Playing in different competitions, travel without the problems. You tell me where my concern is? Just that.
‘It’s so, so demanding – the teams are quicker, faster, stronger and we cannot handle it right now.’
Silva has made 396 appearances for City since joining in 2017, tallying 140 goal contributions in that time – 69 goals and 71 assists.
He was, of course, part of their historic Treble-winning side in 2023, and has won 17 trophies at the club, including six Premier League titles.
Silva left Monaco to join City for a £43.5million fee in 2017, and has won 17 trophies at the club
This report comes just a week after Kevin De Bruyne, 33, announced his exit from the Etihad
Pep Guardiola’s side have looked a shadow of themselves this season, and he has previously stated that his ageing squad cannot keep up with the intense demands of their busy schedule
But as age catches up to him, with the Portuguese star set to turn 31 in a few months, a return to his home country this summer may be beneficial to City.
Since Silva’s contract is up in 2026, City may risk letting him leave on a free agent at the end of next season.
However, if the club were to offload him this summer, they would at least be able to recoup some of the £43.5million they signed him from Monaco for in 2017.
Not to mention, City would certainly have much more negotiating power this summer than if they were to seek a panic sale for Silva next January.
