Manchester City's Bernardo Silva: 'I am sure I will return to Benfica'

The 29-year-old is enjoying his seventh season at the Etihad Stadium where he remains an important first-team player under manager Pep Guardiola.

Since joining from Monaco in 2017, Bernardo has made 342 appearances for Man City across all competitions, scoring 64 goals and registering 64 assists.

Bernardo was most recently on the scoresheet when he netted a brace in the Citizens' 2-0 home win over Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend.

City's No.20 has won 15 trophies during his time at the club, lifting five Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, two FA Cups, two Community Shields, one Champions League and one FIFA Club World Cup.

In August last year, Bernardo seemingly ended speculation about his future by penning a new three-year contract at the Etihad until the summer of 2026.

However, the playmaker has made it known for some time that he has aspirations of returning to Benfica where he began his professional career.

The Portugal international joined Benfica at the age of eight and spent 11 years in the club's youth system before making his senior debut in 2013.

Bernardo went on to make just three first-team appearances for the Eagles, though, before opting to join Ligue 1 club Monaco in 2015.

The Lisbon-born playmaker has unfinished business at Benfica and believes it is only a matter of time before he make his long-awaited comeback to the Portuguese giants.

"How far am I from returning? I think people are a bit tired of that question. It's been a long time," Bernardo told Portuguese television network SIC.

"I'm sure I'll be back, I don't know when, it's hard to time it and say if it's in two years' time, in three years' time, if it's next year with [current Benfica boss] Roger Schmidt [laughs].

"But I've said it several times and I think people get tired of hearing it: without a doubt it's a career and life goal to return to Benfica."

Guardiola emphasised Bernardo's importance at Man City following his brace against Newcastle last weekend and insisted that everyone at the club "want him" to stay.

Bernardo, who has also been linked with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal, is currently away on international duty with Portugal ahead of friendly fixtures against Sweden and Slovenia.