Since reports emerged about Bernardo Silva planning to stay at the Etihad Stadium, the Manchester City fanbase have breathed a collective sigh of relief.
The 28 year-old is one of the Sky Blues’ most pivotal players and is coming off the back of one of his finest ever individual seasons.
Keeping his evident bags of quality aside, Bernardo Silva’s down-to-earth persona and embracement of the club’s rivalries with both Manchester United and Liverpool is what has led to him becoming a fan favourite.
As a result, it was no surprise to see the Etihad Stadium faithful belt out the Portuguese midfielder’s iconic chant after his cameo appearance from the bench against Bournemouth, to make him feel appreciated amid rumours around a possible switch to Barcelona.
However, it is clear to see that the former Ligue 1 champion has been a popular member of the Manchester City dressing room from day one.
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Being the subject of a number of pranks since his arrival from AS Monaco in the summer of 2017, it seemed as if the revered attacker’s personable demeanour made him an instant favourite amongst his teammates behind-the-scenes.
The former Benfica academy graduate has revealed that both he and Riyad Mahrez routinely share a cup of coffee on matchdays, with the pair - as well as their partners - being pally off the pitch.
It was also once famously disclosed that John Stones and Bernardo Silva are known to enjoy a close enough bond for the latter to hysterically name his dog, ‘John’.
Joao Cancelo, who is also known to share a tight-knit relationship with his fellow countryman, recently gave an insight into their dynamic.
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“Bernardo Silva and I have a relationship for a long time, we are from the same generation at Benfica, we have a very beautiful friendship because we are two completely opposite people and I think that’s the funny thing.
"He’s a typical person from Lisbon and I’m just that guy who practically came from the street," he revealed in a recent interview with Eleven Sports, as translated by Sport Witness.
The versatile full-back also shared an interesting piece of personal information about how the duo are currently spending their time together.
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“Bernardo is now living with me in my house.
"As long as my girlfriend isn’t here, we’re living together.”
With Bernardo Silva rumoured to be looking for a new house in Manchester, the aforementioned revelation does not come as a surprise.
As does the fact that Joao Cancelo is one of the many teammates that have taken to Bernardo Silva, who is impossible not to fall in love with for anyone associated with the Premier League champions.
Topics: Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Manchester City, Premier League, Football
Srinivas Sadhanand