Bernardo Silva: Manchester City great joins Real Madrid on a free transfer
Updated 17/06/2026 at 10:59 GMT+1
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Bernardo Silva has joined Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid on a free transfer after his contract at Manchester City expired at the end of the 2025/26 season.
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The Spanish giants have confirmed that the 31-year-old midfielder has joined on a two-year deal until June 2028.
Silva was widely reported to have held talks with fellow La Liga sides Barcelona and Atletico Madrid before agreeing to join the Bernabeu side.
The Portugal international departed City last month after nine years at the Etihad, having won 20 major trophies with the Premier League side.
He is currently preparing for Portugal's opening game at the FIFA World Cup, with Roberto Martinez's side facing DR Congo on Wednesday evening.
Silva won six Premier League titles during his time at City, including in the 2022-23 treble-winning campaign as they ended their wait for UEFA Champions League glory.
He made 460 appearances for the club, scoring 76 goals and registering 77 assists.
Silva captained City during his final season, playing in all 38 Premier League games as they finished second, while winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
His exit coincided with manager Pep Guardiola's, with the 55-year-old ending his decade-long tenure at the Etihad.
Discussing his departure before his final game, Silva said: "It was a decision I made two years ago, that I would see out my contract and then we would go our separate ways."
He told Portuguese channel Canal 11 :"When I arrived, I never imagined I'd stay for nine years, that's a long time at a club.
"The decision to leave was a natural one. It's my last chance to take on another challenge in my life, to do something different.
"Since I left, my family has been pulling me back. They know that nine years is a long time and, after everything I've achieved here, it made sense to do something different."
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Silva faced Madrid 13 times while at City, scoring four goals in those fixtures, including a brace in the semi-finals en route to glory in 2023.
He is the second signing of the summer for the Spanish side, following the arrival of left-back Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.
Mourinho's return to the Bernabeu was confirmed earlier this month, 13 years after his first spell came to an end.
Madrid endured a rare trophyless season during the 2025-26 campaign after finishing eight points behind Barcelona in La Liga and losing out against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
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