Manchester City’s Portuguese international, Bernardo Silva, has indicated that his decision regarding his next club will be made before the 2026 World Cup. This announcement keeps alive the hopes of Juventus, a club reportedly prioritizing his acquisition for the summer transfer window. With his contract at Manchester City set to expire at the end of the season, Silva is available on a free transfer, and Italian media suggests preliminary discussions with the Serie A outfit are already in progress.
Silva to Finalize Move Before 2026 World Cup
“I want to resolve it between the end of the season and the start of training with the National Team so I can have a clear head, because the World Cup is too important a competition for me to have my head on other things,” Bernardo Silva stated in an interview with Sport 11. While Juventus, Barcelona, Benfica, and Galatasaray are named as interested parties, Silva explicitly confirmed he will not be returning to his former club, Benfica, in the 2026-27 season.
“I already told you I’m not going to Benfica,” he confirmed. He added, “There’s one clear intention: I want to return [one day]. I don’t know if the club will want me when I want to return. I want to return.”
Bernardo Silva, who currently captains Manchester City, has already announced his departure from the Etihad Stadium upon the conclusion of his contract on June 30.
This season, the 31-year-old has contributed three goals and five assists in 50 appearances across all competitions.
Earlier in April, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti had personally reached out to the Manchester City player, aiming to convince him to join the Turin-based club. Juventus currently occupies third place in the Serie A standings and remains in contention for a Champions League spot, holding a one-point advantage over Roma and Milan with two rounds of matches remaining.