Bernardo Silva Rules Out Benfica Return, Where Is Bernardo Silva Going
Bernardo Silva answered where is bernardo silva going this summer with a clear no: he is not joining Benfica before leaving Manchester City. The 31-year-old said he wants to settle his next move before the 2026 World Cup, which pushes his transfer decision into a tighter window than the rest of his final season.
Silva Ends Benfica Talk
“I’m not going to Benfica.” Silva said that on Canal 11 and also made plain that he still wants a return there one day. That splits the issue into two parts: a move this summer is off the table, but a future reunion is still part of his thinking.
“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.”
His decision removes Benfica from the immediate race around a player who announced last month that his nine-year career at Manchester City will end when his contract expires in June 2026. Silva has made 457 appearances for City in all competitions and has worn the captain’s armband in 50 outings this season.
Juventus And Other Clubs
Juventus have been linked with Silva for several months, and reports in Italy said director Damien Comolli has kept negotiations going with the midfielder’s agent, Jorge Mendes. Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray and Chicago Fire have also been credited with interest, so Benfica’s exit from the discussion leaves those clubs in a smaller pool.
Silva’s plan is to sort the move before Portugal’s World Cup buildup gets serious. “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,” he said.
Manchester City Farewell
That timetable comes with his Manchester City exit already fixed for June 2026, closing a spell that has produced six Premier League titles and the Champions League in the 2022-23 treble-winning season. He also won the EFL Cup final against Arsenal in March 2026, a final trophy run before the contract countdown runs out.
The next decision now sits with Silva, not the clubs chasing him. By wanting his future settled before the World Cup, he has narrowed the wait for every interested side and made this summer a sorting point rather than a holding pattern.
