Pep Guardiola names Bernardo Silva new Manchester City captain in final year of contract

The Spanish head coach named the club’s captain for the first time.

Pep Guardiola has named Bernardo Silva as the team’s new captain. On the other hand, the Portuguese midfielder has acknowledged may be his final season with Manchester City.

For the first time, Guardiola has chosen to name Silva and vice-captains Rúben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland himself. Normally, he allows players and staff to vote on the captain.

Silva has intimated that he is unlikely to renew his contract, which is set to expire in 2026, so this might be his final season at the Etihad Stadium. Arriving from Monaco in 2017, the 30-year-old is frequently linked to a possible return to Benfica, his boyhood club.

Bernardo Silva speaks on his Man City future

“I know what I’m going to do, but it’s not the time to talk about that,” said Silva. “I’m very focused on my season. I’m very focused on performing well for Man City. When the time is due I will talk about it.”

“I have one year on my contract so obviously I can leave next season. I’ve had options in the past and this year, like last year, and this year my option is to stay at Man City.”

After being selected as a member of Manchester City’s leadership group the previous season, Silva has stepped up to become captain.

Pep reveals why he didn’t make Walker the captain

Guardiola has stated that he took the unexpected action of not selecting Kyle Walker as the team’s captain this summer after noticing aspects he “didn’t like” during the poor performance of the previous season. Walker was appointed captain of the team a year ago.

The England full-back was left out of City’s team for the Club World Cup, even though Milan decided not to make the move permanent after Walker went to join them on loan in January.

“I’m the manager this season, for the first time in my career, I decided who would be my captain,” said Guardiola. “I didn’t like what happened last season. I decided this season.”

“Sometimes I want to be the boss and this season I decided to do it, so I chose the four captains and at the end of this World Cup, maybe we will choose one or two more.”

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