Last week, Pep Guardiola heralded Bernardo Silva as a player who could press three players in one minute - something the manager claimed no other player in world football can do.
Guardiola has been keen to praise Bernardo as 'unique' in world football, and integral to his Manchester City side. Other players, like Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez, have been singled out for criticism this season. Not Bernardo - although it helps he has been in ridiculously good form of late.
Maybe Guardiola is thinking of Bernardo's long-held stance that he would prefer a transfer away from the Etihad if possible.
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Bernardo asked to leave last summer and was heavily courted by Barcelona, but no bid was received so the midfielder stayed put. Just as Joao Cancelo left after presenting City with a good offer, if no such opportunity comes up, the player will stay at the Etihad. Bernardo knows the game, has played it himself, and there were no hard feelings in September when the transfer window closed.
Fast forward nine months and talk has predictably turned again to Bernardo's future. Barcelona still want him, but cannot afford him, so now Real Madrid are the side being strongly linked with a move. On paper, it would be a move that suited Bernardo - a big club, challenging for the Champions League, with world-class players around, and in a much better climate than North West England.
Asked about his future last week - around the same time Guardiola was singing his praises - Bernardo said: “It’s not the moment to talk about this. There’s three months left of the season and I’m very focused on Man City.
“Honestly it (the speculation) doesn’t affect me, it doesn’t. I try to do my best and then what happens happens. There are three months to go and so many big things we can fight for — the Champions League, which we have always wanted to win. Still if we win this Premier League that’s five in six seasons, which is a big, big achievement, and the FA Cup which we have won only once since I’ve been here.”
“We have been losing in the FA Cup semifinals, which is very frustrating for us because it’s a very important competition. So there are big things to fight for and we are going to be there.”
Bernardo doesn't seem like a player thinking about leaving, and that is a reflection of a serial winner who has been an integral part of City's success under Guardiola. As long as he's at the Etihad, City can be confident he will give everything to the cause.
Still, while it would have been a surprise (and probably a mistake) to hear Bernardo rule anything in or out, he could have given the club a little more confidence he would stay. His focus on the final three months of the season shows he's only thinking about City's prospects this season.
With Ilkay Gundogan's future still unresolved - he's out of contract in the summer - and Bernardo not yet committing to staying, City are getting regular reminders that they may have to replace two of their most influential players this year in perhaps the most important position in Guardiola's system.
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