Ruben Dias has shared his delight that one Manchester City teammate stayed with the club in the summer.
City claimed a historic treble last term and are on the hunt to do so again as they look strong in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s side is just hitting its relentless stride having won 11 games in a row, the latest coming against FC Copenhagen on Tuesday.
Bernardo Silva scored City’s second in the 3-1 win as he continues to excel in the side.
But it could have been very different if the 29-year-old left the club in the summer.
Bernardo had been repeatedly linked with a big transfer for years but no solid offer was ever made.
The uncertainty surrounding his future was put to bed in August when he signed a new deal to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2026.
It was a result that delighted his compatriot Dias.
Ruben Dias shares feelings on Bernardo Silva staying at City
Speaking to The National, Dias said: “At a certain moment last summer I thought he might go but I always tell him that every summer we have this series which is called ‘Bernardo is going nowhere.’
“This is the third summer since I have been here and there is a new episode every year.
“I was really happy when he signed because if you want to win trophies Bernardo is exactly the kind of player you need around you.”
A perfect result for City
In a summer that saw Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes all arrive, keeping hold of Bernardo was by far the most important move.
Though he might not get as many headlines as Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne, the £43m man is incredibly important to how City play.
Bernardo has been one of Guardiola’s most trusted and relied-upon players thanks to his remarkable ability on the ball.
Losing him would have been a significant blow, especially in the same transfer window as Ilkay Gundogan, Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez – three vastly experienced players – all left.
The trio had been crucial to the treble triumph, with captain Gundogan playing an especially integral role in knitting the team together.
City faced upheaval at the start of the new season after undergoing so much change and it would have been made worse if Bernardo wasn’t there.
But, thankfully, he is and will be for a while yet.
