Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola wants Bernardo Silva to stay at the club but admits he does not know what is going to happen.
The Portugal international has been linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, though there has been no official bid from the Spanish side.
Guardiola has allowed Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to leave over the close season, but he does not want Silva to join the exodus.
However, the Spaniard knows that it is not just up to him.
โI said many times, my satisfaction training the guys was massive, it was really good. I was comfortable working with Oleks, Raheem, Gabriel, incredible characters that helped us achieve what we achieved,โ Guardiola said at his press conference ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League.
โSometimes for the club, sometimes for the players, sometimes for the agent, sometimes you have to divide our path.
โEspecially the desire of the player is the most important thing. Of course I would love Bernardo to continue here, he is a special player for us. But I donโt know what is going to happen.
โWhat happens will happen and if he stays it is perfect and in the end if he has to leave it is because football is like this, the player has a desire, I will not be a person to stop a desire for the people.
โWhen you are a football player it is so short, you donโt realise and it is nearly over. The player will have to talk to the club and I have never ever been involved in that.
โI want the best for the player. I want Bernardo to stay here, 100 per cent. He is an important player for me. He is special for me, I donโt know what is going to happen. Man City, as far as I know, we didnโt get an offer. Anything. Last season either.
โBernardo is ready, training really well and heโs ready for Sunday. Thatโs it.โ
Guardiola says he is no closer to landing a new left-back after missing out on Marc Cucurella.
Brightonโs Cucurella looks set to join Chelsea instead, leaving Guardiola on the hunt for Zinchenkoโs replacement.
Asked if anything in the transfer market was imminent, he said: โNothing special. It is the same. We will see. We still have lots of days until the end of the month. We will see.
โThere are a lot of players all around the world and a lot of them can fit in perfectly the way we are as a team, but at the same time transfers are always difficult.
โSelling is more difficult than buying at the same time. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnโt. It can be possible, it cannot be possible.โ
City spent ยฃ51million on bringing Erling Haaland to the club from Borussia Dortmund and Guardiola is confident one of the hottest properties in Europe will be able to cope with the Premier League.
โI donโt know how many goals he is going to score and I donโt care,โ he said.
โWe are not going to win because of Erling and we are not going to lose because of Erling.
โHe has to be himself. From what I have seen he is going to adapt incredibly quick. He is a big figure in terms of physicality so maybe he needs more time to get in the best condition.
โIf people have doubts that he is going to score goals, he is going to score goals, the chances are always there.
โHe adapts to the way we play and we will adapt to him. It will need time but at the same time I have no doubts it is going to happen.โ
City begin their season at West Ham on Sunday, aiming for a fifth Premier League title in the last six seasons.
Guardiola reckons this campaign will be the toughest ever.
โEvery year I have the feeling that this season is harder,โ he said. โI think that next season cannot be harder and itโs harder.
โEveryone is getting better, every club every owner invests. Many teams do it and do it well, the quality is there and the managers are exceptional.
โThatโs why it is exciting and thatโs why the Premier League is the best.โ
