Josko Gvardiol has said he is not surprised that Bernardo Silva completed his move to Real Madrid this summer, revealing that the Portuguese midfielder had wanted to play in Spain despite his years at Manchester City.
Silva, 31, left City after eight trophy-laden years at the Etihad to sign for the Spainsh giants, becoming the sixth major arrival of Real Madrid’s summer rebuild under Jose Mourinho. He joined Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Carlos Espi and a deal in place for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.
Gvardiol, who was himself linked with a switch to the Bernabeu before signing a new contract at City, says the writing had been on the wall for some time when it came to Silva’s future.
Speaking to The Athletic, the Croatian centre-back said Silva’s move represented the fulfilment of a long-standing wish.
“Bernardo being back where he belongs. He talked about Spain for a long, long time,” Gvardiol said.
The comments will not come as a shock to City supporters, who have watched speculation over Silva’s Spanish return simmer for several transfer windows, with Barcelona long considered his most likely destination before Real Madrid moved decisively once Mourinho returned to the club.
City count the cost of a summer exodus
Silva’s exit is one of two significant losses from City’s leadership group this summer, with John Stones also having departed the club.
Gvardiol admitted the full impact of losing both players may not become clear until pre-season is complete and Maresca’s new-look squad begins competitive action.
“How much have we lost? We will find out when we regroup at the start of the season, but we’re going to miss both of them,” Gvardiol said.
The remarks underline the scale of the rebuilding job facing Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola as head coach this summer and now has the task of replacing not just quality on the pitch but experience and dressing-room presence built up over close to a decade of sustained success.
Silva, in particular, made well over 350 appearances for City and was central to the club’s dominance both domestically and in Europe, his intelligence and versatility earning him a reputation as one of the finest technical midfielders in the game.
Bernardo joins Real Madrid at the top of his game
Silva arrives at the Bernabeu on the back of an outstanding campaign, having remained one of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted performers throughout last season, both in terms of minutes played and influence on the pitch.
His departure was not straightforward, according to reports from Spain, with Barcelona holding early talks before Atletico Madrid also entered the running. It was ultimately Real Madrid, buoyed by Mourinho’s arrival and swift movement in the market, who won the race and completed the deal.
For City, the challenge now is twofold: absorbing the loss of a player who embodied the club’s identity for the best part of a decade, while trusting Maresca to build fresh momentum around a changing core.
Gvardiol’s honesty about the uncertainty ahead reflects a squad in transition, though few would bet against City finding a way to adapt, given their recent history of success through change.
Silva will now aim to prove himself at one of the biggest clubs in world football, with expectations understandably high given his pedigree. Whether he can replicate his City form in Spain remains to be seen, but for now, the man himself appears to be exactly where he always wanted to be.
