Part of me leaves with Bernardo Silva – Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola admitted “part of myself is leaving” with Bernardo Silva as the Manchester City manager urged his side to give the outgoing Portugal playmaker the perfect send-off.

The City captain ended speculation about his future on Thursday by revealing he will depart the club at the end of the season when his contract expires following a trophy-laden nine years in the north-west.

Guardiola hopes Silva can add a couple of pieces of silverware to the 19 honours he has already won before he exits, with City aiming to bag the Premier League and FA Cup to complete a domestic treble.

And Guardiola, speaking ahead of the top-two showdown against league leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, insisted Silva still has a crucial role to play for the remainder of the campaign.

Asked whether Silva going was the hardest goodbye for him, Guardiola replied: “Absolutely. When these types of players are going, and there have been many in the last years, part of myself is leaving too.

“It will be difficult imagining (the club) without him. He made an incredible statement during nine years and he has been massively, massively, massively important.

“Hopefully we can deliver to him, he’s going to help us, I know that. He’s a special player, hopefully we can deliver a good month, a few days, because he deserves it, he deserves the best.

“We’ve won 19 titles together, we are still challenging for two more and we are going for it, that’s for sure. We are looking forward to the start and do our best.”

Silva, who has scored 76 goals and made 77 assists in 451 appearances at City, joins Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Ederson and Kevin de Bruyne as long-serving players to leave the club in the last 12 months.

The likes of Rayan Cherki and