Manchester City and Liverpool are at very different stages of their journeys in the 2025/26 season, but they are both dealing with the same problem: major uncertainty surrounding two of their biggest stars. City recently cruised into the FA Cup semifinals after a 4-0 demolition of Liverpool at the Etihad on 4 April, fueled by an Erling Haaland hat-trick and a goal from Antoine Semenyo.
Following that blowout, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk didn’t hold back, accusing his teammates of throwing in the towel and offering an apology to the fans. Liverpool now find themselves stuck in fifth, only a point ahead of Chelsea, which is a strange position for the defending champions as their season continues to fall apart. Meanwhile, City are up to second and chasing Arsenal, though their long-term squad stability remains up in the air.
Comolli drops the biggest hint of the summer window so far
Against this backdrop, Juventus sporting director Damien Comolli spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport at a club event last week and let more slip than he probably meant to. When he was asked point-blank about Bernardo Silva and Alisson, Comolli just smirked and said, “Bernardo Silva and Alisson? I won’t name names (smiles). I won’t name names. But yes, Juve always has the allure of attracting champions. What’s surprised me so far is that no player we’ve spoken to has said, ‘I’ll only come if you reach the Champions League.’ Players want to come to Juventus because it’s Juventus.”
Bernardo Silva is expected to move on from Manchester City as a free agent this summer after nine years at the club, with Barcelona also rumoured to be interested. Alisson, on the other hand, has a history with Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti from their days at Roma, which is reportedly giving Juve a head start in any potential deal.
The numbers show exactly why they are so in demand. Bernardo has managed six goal involvements, two goals and four assists, in 31 league games this season, and his expected assists of 0.28 per 90 ranks him higher than 96 per cent of the rest of the league. Even with an injury-plagued season, Alisson has managed eight clean sheets in 25 games while facing 86 shots, maintaining a save percentage of 65.12%.
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Should Liverpool and Manchester City be worried about losing both players this summer?
The short answer for Liverpool is yes, absolutely. Alisson isn’t just a shot-stopper; he’s the guy who keeps the entire defence organised, and his history with Spalletti makes the Juventus talk feel a lot more real than typical transfer gossip. With Alisson missing chunks of the season through injury, Liverpool have looked shaky at the back, and Slot has openly questioned the team’s heart during big moments. Losing their number one to Turin would be a massive blow for a club that is already struggling to find its identity.
For City, losing Bernardo for nothing is a different kind of problem, less dramatic, but just as painful. He is the glue in Pep Guardiola’s midfield, keeping things moving with a 90.18% pass completion rate and making 1.35 key passes every game.
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Barcelona are still very much in the hunt for his signature, but Juventus seem to be a serious factor even without guaranteed Champions League football. Both clubs need to take these links seriously because Comolli certainly didn’t do anything to shut them down.
