Daijiworld Media Network - Madrid
Madrid, Jun 17: Real Madrid have secured the services of Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City expired, bringing an end to his highly successful nine-year stay with the Premier League champions.
The 31-year-old has agreed to a two-year deal with the Spanish club and becomes one of the latest additions to the squad under manager Jose Mourinho. Silva joins fellow summer signing Marc Cucurella, while defender Antonio Rudiger has also been handed a contract extension as part of the club's ongoing rebuilding process.
Silva departs Manchester City after establishing himself as one of the most accomplished players in the club's history. During his time at the Etihad Stadium, he made 460 appearances and scored 76 goals, playing a crucial role in an era that delivered 20 major trophies.
His list of achievements includes six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League trophy, three FA Cups, five Carabao Cups, three Community Shields, a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup.
Under Pep Guardiola, Silva developed into one of the team's most dependable performers and was instrumental in several of City's biggest successes. He was a key figure in the squad that completed a historic Treble during the 2022-23 season.
The Portuguese midfielder is no stranger to Real Madrid, having faced the Spanish giants 13 times during his Manchester City career. He enjoyed notable success in those encounters, particularly in the UEFA Champions League, scoring four goals against Los Blancos, including two in City's emphatic 4-0 victory in the second leg of the 2022-23 semi-final.
In his final season at Manchester City, Silva served as captain and helped guide the club to victories in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, defeating Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, before bringing his memorable spell in England to a close.
Silva now embarks on a fresh challenge at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Mourinho is counting on his experience, creativity and winning mentality to strengthen the squad after a disappointing 2025-26 season in which Real Madrid failed to win the LaLiga title and exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.