Manchester City hope 'amazing' Bernardo Silva remains at the Etihad

Manchester City are ready to sit down with Bernardo Silva to discuss his future. The English champions will make it abundantly clear that they want him to stay.

The Portuguese international has been the subject of transfer chatter for the past two seasons and it came to a crescendo this summer as Barcelona made it known publicly that they fancied him at the Camp Nou.

Barca were not shy about dialing up their admiration of the 28-year-old attacking midfielder who has played more than 250 times for City since signing from Monaco in 2017.

The Blues, though, are adamant that no club - including Paris Saint-Germain who were also reportedly keen on Silva - approached them and no one called. Instead officials were left to read reports like everyone else.

Boss Pep Guardiola was consistently asked about the player’s future at his press briefings. All the while Silva, City’s player of the season in 2019 and picked in the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) league team of the year, was happy in his training and, according to those sharing a dressing room with him, very calm about the situation.

Now the dust has settled, City want to sit down with the midfielder and have a mature discussion about the future.

They will offer a long term future but Guardiola has always employed the mantra that if people aren’t happy, they should leave and is as aware as anyone that football, and the business surrounding it, is capricious at best.

Manchester City players celebrate after Bernardo Silva scores their third goal in the 3-3 draw against Newcastle at St James' Park on August 21, 2022. PA

Silva, always someone considered honest and upfront in his dealings with the club, will be asked if he wants to stay or leave and will hear