Off contract in June, the City captain concedes he's never been a fan of the Manchester weather.
He said on the club's official podcast: "Portugal and England have many differences: the culture, the time zone, the food... I always joke and say that if Manchester City were further south in Europe, I'd stay there forever. I love this club.
"I'm not saying I don't like it, but culturally, Manchester doesn't match the ideal of what I want in life. And sometimes I feel like I'm not happy: before I met my wife, I was always alone, I wasn't well, and I often thought about leaving. It's certainly not because I didn't like the team. But I never left, and I'm happy.
"I would have missed out on memorable moments like the Treble or four consecutive Premier League titles. Now I also have the opportunity to be captain, to pass on my experience to the young players. But yes, if Man City were in Lisbon, I'd stay there until I was 40!"