Manchester City star Bernardo Silva could leave the Premier League champions, according to manager Pep Guardiola.

Silva was tipped for a City exit in the off-season amid links with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona but the Portugal international remained in Manchester.

The 27-year-old has started five of City's six Premier League matches this season, while he scored the winner in the 1-0 victory at Leicester City.

After impressing in Saturday's 1-0 win away to rivals and Champions League holders Chelsea, Guardiola praised Silva.

"All I want is for Bernardo to be happy, here or anywhere. All I want is his happiness because he's a guy that deserves the best," said Guardiola.

"He's so intuitive - it's not his role as a holding midfielder but he knows exactly how to play it and how to anticipate what is going to happen, with the ball or without the ball.

"Against Norwich [City] he played exceptional, against Arsenal he played exceptional, Southampton played at the level of the team - that was not good.

"But how well he played against Chelsea is no surprise. How many times have we seen it? He was an incredible signing for us because he's an exceptional person."

Silva has won three Premier League titles since joining City in 2017 and Guardiola added: "I never forget the second Premier League we won, with 98 points, he was the best player in England. He was nominated [for an award] but he was the best.

"After that season, later he dropped a little bit, he was not in the position he prefers but now he's back and hopefully he can help us.

"If, at the end, he wants to leave and decides [to go] the only thing I can say is that the guy or the club that gets Bernardo is going to take one of the best players in the world.

"Is he happier? You cannot play in this way if you are not happy, it's impossible."

City have conceded just one goal in their six Premier League games this season – the fewest they have shipped at this stage of a league season in their history.

After his match-winning goal, Gabriel Jesus became the fifth player to score 20-plus match-winning goals in the Premier League for City, after Sergio Aguero (48), Raheem Sterling (23), Yaya Toure (22) and David Silva (20).