Manchester City assistant manager Pep Ljinders hinted Bernardo Silva's time at the club will end this season, saying "every good story comes to an end".

Silva moved to the Etihad in 2017 from Monaco, and his future has been the subject of speculation, with his contract set to run out in June.

He is yet to sign a contract extension, and has been linked to LaLiga leaders Barcelona, as well as Juventus and former club Benfica.

Silva made his 450th appearance for City in their FA Cup thrashing of Liverpool on Saturday, and Ljinders reflected on the captain's importance to the club during his nine-year spell at the Etihad.

"You never replace a player with the same kind of player because they don't exist," he said, standing in for Pep Guardiola in Saturday's press conference.

"Bernardo Silva is unique. The way he controls games, the way he moves, the way he receives, the way he leads, the way he sees the solutions. All these things.

"But it will be hard because, as I said, in the game, when he is not playing, you will see how he is missed – and that's one game. Imagine a season.

"But every good story comes to an end, and I hope he enjoys the last months – there are only six weeks – and has a good farewell.

"He deserves all that attention as well."

Silva has scored 76 goals and provided 77 assists in his 450 appearances for City so far.

He has also won 15 major trophies with City, including six Premier League titles, two FA cups, five EFL Cups, including this season's, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.

"You never search for a replacement of one type of player," Ljinders added. "You search for what is needed to grow with the team and somebody who can fit in the first 11.

"And then you hope, with our academy, with the young players we already bought, that they can make that step as well in the midfield positions.

"If you see our young boys in the academy, then they have to make that step and to grow.

"But the most important is that the seniors who stay for a long time, that they stay, that they are always there, and around that, you can move."