Guardiola hopes Silva will ‘stay forever’ amid uncertain Manchester City future

Pep Guardiola has said he would love it if Bernardo Silva stayed at Manchester City forever and believes his captain will always remain one of the club’s greatest players.

Silva, who had been tempted to move in previous years, is out of contract in the summer and could leave the Etihad Stadium on a free transfer.

City seem no closer to agreeing new terms with the 31-year-old, but Guardiola has said he sleeps better when he knows he has the midfielder in his team.

Silva, who joined City for £40m from Monaco in 2017, is one of the most decorated players in City’s history, winning 17 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League.

And Guardiola said: “I would love for Man City, for myself as well, [that] Bernardo is going to stay forever. But so we spoke a lot with Bernie and Bernie has to decide the best for him and his family. And whatever happens this season, next season, in 10 years, he will remain one of the greatest players that this club has had in its long history.”

Silva has made more appearances for Guardiola than any other player the Catalan has picked in his managerial career, playing 438 games, including 31 this season.

And the City manager added: “I sleep better before when I decide to play Bernardo in the team, I go to bed and sleep better. I have to take care of my health and absolutely, he's another type. He’s a competitor. He has fire in his eyes still. He never finds excuses. Never. And that's why he is a special, special player, how he competes in every single game.”

Guardiola also said he “thinks” winger Oscar Bobb wants to leave City. The Norway international is a target for Fulham and his chances of football with City have been reduced after the January signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

City face Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, needing a victory to stand a chance of finishing in the top eight in the league phase.

And Guardiola has confirmed that defender John Stones and midfielder Nico Gonzalez will not recover in time to play. He is also without the injured Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic while Rodri is suspended and new buys Marc Guehi and Semenyo are ineligible.