Benfica have 'contract waiting' for Man City captain Silva

Bernardo Silva is being linked with a return to his boyhood club Benfica, with a potential club president claiming a "contract is waiting" for the Manchester City captain.

Benfica coach Bruno Lage is also keen to see Silva return to Portugal and said he believes it will happen “soon”.

Silva was named as City's captain in the summer following Kevin De Bruyne's departure, but he is into the final year of his current deal.

The 31-year-old came through Benfica's youth system before making his debut for the first team in October 2013, aged 19.

Less than a year later, he joined Monaco, before subsequently moving to City in 2017. He has since won six Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup among other honours.

But Joao Noronha Lopes, a candidate to become Benfica's president in the election taking place in October, has already outlined his plans to try and sign Silva should he win the position.

"I can confirm that a contract is waiting for Bernardo Silva," Noronha Lopes told A Bola. "And I really want to bring Bernardo in, in January.

"He embodies everything I want for Benfica: identity, a winning culture, and he's a huge Benfica fan. And I can assure you that we won't stop here."

Silva has made 269 Premier League appearances for City, scoring 43 goals, and has also earned 103 caps for Portugal, winning two Nations League titles with his country.

Lage refused to be drawn into the political side of the election, but he is also keen to get Silva back to the club.

"From what I know about Bernardo and his motivation, is that soon, I don't know when, but soon, he will be a Benfica player regardless of the president," he said.