A Portuguese midfielder and club captain is leaving Manchester this summer, but while Bernardo Silva says his Etihad farewells, Man Utd will hope Bruno Fernandes hangs around a little longer.
Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes have both left a mark in Manchester
When Bruno Fernandes was weighing up interest from Manchester United in late 2019, he asked an international teammate all about life in the city. At that stage, Bernardo Silva had been here for a couple of years.
Silva’s views on Manchester after his 2017 move to the Etihad helped convince Fernandes to join United from Sporting in January 2020 and both have gone on to make a sizeable impact in the city they now call home.
They are captains of their respective clubs and will go down as legendary figures. Silva, 31, will say his goodbyes to the Etihad this season, with City assistant Pep Lijnders confirming the midfielder is off to seek a new challenge at the end of the current campaign.
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It’s not impossible that there is a Portuguese goodbye at Old Trafford as well, but United are desperate for Fernandes to stay. He is only a month younger than his compatriot, but while Silva has won it all at City, there is more than a bit of unfinished business for Fernandes.
These are the contrasts that mean the thought processes are coming from two very different perspectives. While Silva wants a new challenge after ticking every box in blue, Fernandes can hear the clock ticking and might be tempted to start collecting the kind of medals his career deserves.
The pair have been friends since their days together in Portugal’s Under-19 set-up, though their similar personalities have led to the odd moment of friction on derby day. They are both incredibly driven and willing to push the line, at the very least, to earn their side an advantage. There is a reason that Fernandes named Silva as the most annoying player in the Premier League last year, while accepting he would collect a fair few votes in that category as well.
Silva will be a big miss for City. When Pep Guardiola talks about someone the way he talks about Silva, then you know you are a serious footballer. His ability to understand and deliver a game plan is phenomenal, and he is arguably the most tactically intelligent footballer in the Premier League. But City have other world-class footballers and their record in replacing departing greats has been good in recent years.
The qualities that make Fernandes so important at Old Trafford are more visceral. The numbers speak for themselves. He isn’t always as involved in games as Silva is; he isn’t as all-action, but when United need a moment, it is almost always Fernandes who delivers it.
They are certainly two of the greatest Portuguese players to play in the Premier League. Silva’s next appearance in the competition will be his 297th, taking him past Luis Boa Morte as Portugal’s leading appearance-maker in the competition. Fernandes is 73 behind and if he sticks with it at United, he could yet get close to it himself.
But it’s hard to argue against the fact that Silva’s time in Manchester has been more fulfilling. Six Premier League titles, a Champions League, five League Cups and two FA Cups make for a very impressive palmares.
Fernandes might have the double of 100 goals and 100 assists. He now has six Premier League player of the month awards, one shy of the all-time record. But he has only a League Cup and an FA Cup medal. He has played in just one Champions League knockout tie for United.
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For a player of his quality, and for the level of performances he has delivered, that is not enough. If Silva can walk away from Manchester City with no regrets, Fernandes would be saying goodbye to Manchester United with plenty at the moment.
Perhaps that will be enough for him to stick around. United look to be heading in a positive direction and having given his prime years to Old Trafford, Fernandes might want to see it through. But if standards slip again, he could be left high and dry without the medals he warrants. That will come into his thinking.
This summer, Silva and Fernandes will be part of the Portugal midfield as they seek their first-ever World Cup. The quality of their team suggests they have a chance in North America.
But around that tournament, while Silva’s future is now clear, Fernandes will be weighing up his next move without the contentment that his compatriot can feel from his time in Manchester.
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2026-04-06 11:29:35
