Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has become a major talking point for Rui Costa and Joao Noronha, the prime candidates in Benfica’s presidential race.

Presidential elections are a big thing within Portuguese clubs, and certainly in Lisbon, where one player has captured the imagination of Benfica’s prime candidates Rui Costa and Joao Noronha. The two supremos will battle to become the club chief in the coming period, with the former currently holding the position.

The player at the centre of this election is Bernardo Silva, who could potentially leave Manchester City once his contract expires at the end of the current season. The Portuguese international has been a key player during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign at the Etihad since his £43 million move from Monaco in 2017.

However, over the last few years, there have been strong reports about the player seeking a new challenge, with Barcelona being linked with a move now and previously. The Blaugrana are thought to be one of the prime contenders for the midfielder, while Manchester City are reportedly keen to renew his deal at the Etihad.

However, in recent weeks, Benfica have emerged as a key player in the race to sign Bernardo Silva. Jose Mourinho reportedly wants him at the club, and the £43 million Manchester City playmaker is now a prime topic of discussion in the Benfica presidential race.

Chief candidates Costa and Noronha are making public speeches about Bernardo Silva, as bringing him back to the club does seem like a major plus point in the race. The two candidates had their say on the Manchester City star’s future, as both hoped to bring him back to his old club.

Their comments appeared on SAPO, where Noronha was optimistic about bringing the £43 million Manchester City playmaker back to Lisbon. However, the current President, Costa, was a bit more cautious and provided no guarantees that Silva would return, as we explore what the two prime presidential candidates had to say about Silva.

Starting with Noronha, he said, “I really want to bring him back. I’ve been talking to him for a long time. I repeat what I said at the beginning of the campaign, and I’ll say it again now: with me, the president will return. I’m not setting deadlines. He’s someone I admire; he’s a great Benfica supporter. Bernardo makes his own decisions. I perfectly understand that he doesn’t take a public position regarding the elections.”

Meanwhile, Costa offered no guarantees that he would be able to sign the player next summer, and compared Silva to himself when the current president made his return to the club after an illustrious career elsewhere.

Costa said on Bernardo Silva, “No one can guarantee that a player will return to Benfica. We’re talking about campaigns from the 80s and 90s. Today, he’s the captain of Manchester City. I’m convinced that if he returns, it will be like Rui Costa returned to Benfica, not to any president. I’ve been through that before.”

“When a player is a Benfica supporter and wants to return, he returns for the club, not for the president. He may even think one project is better than another. But I’m absolutely convinced that he wants to be a Benfica player. He never wanted to be the president’s player; he wanted to be the club’s player. And I think Bernardo thinks like me.”

Irrespective of what the Benfica presidential candidates have in mind, the ultimate decision to return will be Bernardo Silva’s. The Portuguese international is one of the highest-paid stars at Manchester City, and for Benfica, it would be challenging enough to offer him favourable terms, especially when the cash-rich Saudi Arabian sides are interested.

Manchester City does not view him as a player past his prime, and instead would be seemingly open to exploring an extension. There are others like Barcelona as well as potential new suitors that could come into the mix later, depending on the decision Silva makes about his Manchester City future. Hence, like Costa said, nothing seems to be guaranteed when it comes to Silva returning to Benfica, with the case very much complex.