This is one of the most peculiar bromances in the history of football. Bernardo Silva called his pet French bulldog “John” after his teammate John Stones, who plays for Manchester City.

Both on and off the field, Silva and Stones have been close friends ever since the former arrived in the United States from Monaco in 2017.

The 27-year-old man is usually seen taking his dog, whose name is Stones, for a walk around Manchester with his girlfriend, Ines. Stones calls the dog his companion.

According to Silva, who was speaking to The Times in advance of the Manchester derby on Sunday, “We’ve had him for nine months now.” He reminds me of my young child because I do not yet have any of my own. He has a good time when he is here.

Although not a common dog name, John appears to be satisfied with it.

Kyle Walker joked on Twitter after posting a photo of Silva and John together, saying, “Only Bernardo Silva would call his dog John.”

Throughout the course of this season, Silva has been one of the most important players for City as they strive to win their first Champions League trophy and defend their Premier League championship.

On the other hand, the outcomes could have been markedly different. The manager, Pep Guardiola, made the announcement during the end of the previous season that Silva was considering leaving the Etihad.

Because Silva was living by himself in England at the time of the coronavirus pandemic, he has said that the outbreak made his life in England quite difficult.

In addition to the fact that it had an impact on his performance off the field, he longed to be in closer proximity to his family.

“It was difficult for me because I was so far away from my family,” he said. “It was difficult for other people because they suffered much more than we did.” In the past, I would spend a few days in Portugal, and during that time, I would dine with my mother and father. Because you were with your parents, even though it was merely dinner, it was a great experience. Being unable to do so was a challenging situation to be in.

“To tell you the truth, it wasn’t a productive moment. I used to spend some time by myself at my place. The arrival of my girlfriend came later. Each and every person suffered as a result. On the basis of the expressions on the faces of my coworkers, I was able to determine that it was challenging for them as well.

In addition to reiterating his devotion to City, the Portugal international reiterated that he was not disillusioned with the club.

“I had a talk with the club because I wasn’t happy with my life here, and I wanted to be closer to my family,” Silva said on the website of the club. “However, the desire to leave had nothing to do with the club,” Silva said.

“I am a backing fan of Manchester City. My teammates, the fans, and the club are all absolutely wonderful to me. After that, there was no more event. I remained, and for as long as I am a member of this club, I will continue to give it my absolute best at all times.