Bernardo Silva reveals why he asked to leave Manchester City last summer
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has revealed why he asked to leave the club last summer and insists his decision had nothing to do with his love for the fans and his teammates.
The 27-year-old was heavily linked with an exit from the Etihad Stadium before the 2021-22 campaign began; however, the Portuguese international stayed put and has since excelled for the Citizens in all competitions.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, Silva explained how the coronavirus pandemic affected his mental well-being and was one of the main reasons he wanted to leave town last summer.
“People suffered much more than us, but for me, it was difficult because I was away from my family. Before, I went to Portugal for a couple of days and had dinner with my mom and dad. It was just a dinner, but you.” re with your parents, so it’s nice. Not being able to do that was hard.
“To be honest, it was not a good time. For a while, I was alone in my apartment. Then my girlfriend came. It was bad for everyone. I could see from the faces of my colleagues that it was difficult for them too.”
“I was feeling a bit lonely at the time in England and I wasn’t very happy with my life. And if you’re not happy, you don’t do your job as well as you do when you’re happy.” I was fine physically, but if you don’t do your job with a smile on your face, you’re not going to do as well.
“I had a conversation with the club because I wasn’t happy with my life here and I wanted to be closer to my family. But it had nothing to do with the club. I love Manchester City. I love my teammates, I love the fans, I love the club. Then nothing happened. I stayed and I will always do my best for this club as long as I stay here”.
Silva, who has a contract at the Etihad until June 2025, has also revealed that he intends to negotiate his future with the club at the end of the season.
“At the end of the season, I will sit down with City and see what is best for both sides. We are in the middle of the season and we want to win a lot of important trophies.”
“We can win all three, or zero, or one. Now is not a good time to talk about [my future].”
Silva has scored 10 goals and provided three assists in 35 appearances for Man City this season, and only compatriot Joao Cancelo has made more appearances in all competitions for the Citizens so far this season.
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