Manchester City's Bernardo Silva 'to miss next few games'

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Bernardo Silva will miss the next few games after going off early in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade this evening.

Silva was taken off before half-time and replaced by Jeremy Doku shortly before the Serbian visitors took a shock lead at the Etihad Stadium.

There was no visible sign of an injury at first, but Guardiola has confirmed in his post-match press conference that Silva will now spend some time on the sidelines.

The midfielder has already missed two games with injury this season - the Super Cup success against Sevilla and a win at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Silva has since started three of the last four City games, as well as both of Portugal's Euro 2024 qualifiers last week.

His absence will open the door potentially for the likes of Doku, Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes to get some game time, but City's injuries are starting to pile up slightly.

Guardiola was already without John Stones, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and longer-term absentee Kevin De Bruyne, with Silva now joining that list.

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It comes on the same week that the Portuguese midfielder signed a new deal which will keep him at the club until 2026 on Monday.

After much speculation over the summer potentially linking Silva with an exit from Man City, he is now set to stay for the foreseeable future.

Fabrizio Romano claims that a £50m release clause is included in the new deal, but it will not become active until next summer.

Barcelona were one of the club's heavily rumoured to be in the market for the 29-year-old, but their current financial predicament makes a deal at that fee seem unrealistic.

The La Liga champions snapped up Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from City, and, for some time, it was thought Silva may also have joined the German in departing after completing the clean sweep of major honours at the club.

Paris Saint-Germain were the other elite club believed to be interested in signing Silva in what was a busy summer in the French capital.

Silva had enjoyed great success in France before, winning the Ligue 1 title with Monaco before moving to Manchester, but a move back never materialised.