Man City star calls for major squad rebuild

Bernardo Silva has admitted Manchester City's "cycle" has ended as he called on the club to rebuild the squad this summer.

The defending Premier League champions have fallen well short of expectations this season. They sit 20 points behind leaders Liverpool and were dumped out of the Champions League at the play-off stage.

Manager Pep Guardiola has publicly admitted his ageing squad cannot handle the physical demands of the modern game and the calendar which often has them playing at least twice per week.

Speaking to DAZN, Silva also conceded City's current squad is not at the level expected and urged those in charge to be active in the transfer market.

"It's been a difficult season, very frustrating, because the level to which we had accustomed people was very high," he said. "A level at which in the last seven seasons we have won six Premier Leagues, we have always managed to reach very advanced stages of the Champions League, we have managed to fight for many League Cups, FA Cup.

"Generations and cycles end, obviously, due to age, due to the different stages of a career, and this club will need to renew itself.

"Nobody has managed to win four Premier League titles in a row like we did last year, so obviously maintaining this level will always be difficult.

"We are trying to find different solutions, and I am sure that this club, in one way or another, will be very successful again in the future. It was a bad six months and we have to accept it. But I hope that six bad months do not put everything in doubt, because that would be the beginning of the end."

Reports have suggested Guardiola is looking to part ways with at least seven first-team players this summer, with veteran midfielder Kevin De Bruyne among those facing uncertain futures.

READ THE LATEST MAN CITY NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP