Would love for Bernardo Silva to continue but I don’t know what will happen, claims Pep Guardiola

Ever since his move from AS Monaco in the summer of 2017, Bernardo Silva has thrived at Manchester City with the Portuguese international making 250 appearances. Not only that, the 27-year-old has contributed to 98 goals over the same time period, which includes 13 goals last season. It has seen Silva attract a lot of attention this summer although with three years left on his current contract, the Cityzens hold the upper hand when it comes to negotiations.

But with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain both overly keen on signing him, it has many fans wondering whether the 27-year-old will leave or stay at the club. In light of that, Pep Guardiola has admitted that while he “would love for Bernardo to continue here”, he doesn’t “know what is going to happen”. Not only that, the Manchester City boss added that he won’t stop Silva from leaving because that’s the way it works in football.

"I was comfortable working with Oleks , Gabriel and Raheem for three incredible years, [they were] incredible characters that helped us achieve But, in the end, sometimes the club, sometimes the player, sometimes the agent, many reasons, sometimes you have to divide our path. I've said many times the desire of the player is the most important thing; I want people happy here trying to do it together,” Guardiola said, reported Sky Sports.

“Of course, I would love for Bernardo to continue here, he is a special player in the dressing room for me, but I don't know what is going to happen. Honestly, I don't know. What is going to happen will happen and if he stays it's perfect, and if he has to leave it's because football is like this, the clubs have an agreement, the player has desires, and I am not the person to stop the desire of people."

"When you are a football player it's short, you don't realise it, immediately it's over. I don't want to stop the desire of a player but, at the same time, I'm just a little part of the club, you have to talk to the club, I have never ever been involved in that, and what the club decides for me is OK,” he added.