Bernardo Silva has admitted that he was tempted by the riches of the Saudi Pro League but decided to stay at Manchester City because he ‘didn’t want to give up’ on playing at the highest level of European football.
The 29-year-old was heavily linked with a move to the Gulf State last summer, while also attracting interest from the likes of PSG and Barcelona. Silva eventually penned a new deal that will keep him at the Etihad until 2026 but he has revealed that the interest from Saudi Arabia was appealing. However, the chance to continue playing in elite European competition outweighed the monetary incentives on offer.
Silva has started this campaign in impressive form, scoring three goals and registering three assists in the Premier League as City sit top of the pile after 12 games. Pep Guardiola’s side welcome Liverpool to the Etihad in a mouthwatering clash as the league returns this weekend. He has featured in each of the last 11 top-flight clashes against the Reds and has netted on two occasions while providing three assists in four victories for his side.
‘I would lie if I said I didn’t think [about the big-money offers from Saudi Arabia].’ He said in an interview with RTP. ‘What interested me was the heat of playing a UEFA Champions League semi-final, listening to the stadium going wild after scoring against [Real] Madrid in the semi-finals or when we won the final against Inter. I didn’t want to give up on that.’
The versatile midfielder played 55 times for City last season as he secured a first UEFA Champions League trophy, a fifth Premier League title and second FA Cup. The Portuguese international also has 82 caps to his name and was a regular fixture during their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.
