The Portuguese midfielder joined City from Monaco in 2017 and has made 451 appearances, establishing himself as one of the most important players in the club's history. He departs having won 19 major trophies, including six Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups, five Carabao Cups, three Community Shields, a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup. His most recent piece of silverware came as captain in the 2026 Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal.
In those nine seasons he scored 76 goals and contributed 77 assists, and he recently moved into the top ten of all-time City appearance holders, overtaking David Silva, Paul Power and Willie Donachie.
Bernardo announced the news on Instagram with a personal message to supporters. "When I arrived 9 years ago, I was following a dream of a little boy, wanting to succeed in life, wanting to achieve great things. This city and this club gave me much more than that, much more than I ever hoped for.
"In a few months it's time to say goodbye to the city where not only we won so much as a football club, but also where I started my marriage and my family.
"To the fans, your unconditional support throughout the years is something that I will never forget. My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys could feel proud and well represented on the pitch. I hope you felt that every single game.
"I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life. Keep supporting this young team and I'm pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new fantastic memories in the future.
"To the club, Pep, the staff and all my teammates these 9 years, thank you for all the memories and for letting me be a part of this journey for so long. The atmosphere we created every day in the training ground made me feel at home and a part of a big family. Let's enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us."
City have stated that a formal farewell tribute will take place at the end of the season. Bernardo and Pep Guardiola's side remain in contention for both the Premier League title and the FA Cup.