Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has confessed that he would like to leave the Etihad Stadium in the coming years to seal a return to his native Portugal.
The 27-year-old has long been the subject of transfer rumours, having been tipped to leave in both 2020 and 2021, but he has stayed at City and continues to be an integral part of Pep Guardiola's setup.
Moves to the likes of Barcelona or Atletico Madrid have been touted, but speaking to Canal 11, Silva confessed that he sees himself returning to Portugal in the next year or two.
"I miss Portugal a lot," he admitted. "If I could go back in a year or two, I would.
"Not only because I would like to play for Benfica again, but because I miss my family and living in Portugal very much."
Silva signed his current contract back in 2019 and is tied to City until 2025, shortly before he turns 31.
He has previously spoken highly of his affinity for Benfica, where he began his career before leaving for Monaco in 2014.
"Benfica is a big part of my life," he told UEFA TV earlier this month. "I grew up going to Benfica matches with my father and also with my friends. Besides that, I played at Benfica for 12 years from the age of seven to 19.
"So it is almost half of my life. When I left, I was 19, almost 20 years old and it was a very difficult change because I wasn't expecting it. But it turned out to be a good thing for my life to change and move to AS Monaco.
"But speaking of Benfica, it is an important part of my life not only as a supporter, but also later as a player which helped me grow a lot."
Source : 90min