Bernardo Silva is desperate to seal a move to Barcelona from Manchester City this summer, according to reports.
The Portugal international’s contract at City runs until the summer of 2025. Though City are under no immediate pressure to sell with the player not entering the final 12 months of his contract, Bernardo has interest in his services from both Barca and Saudi Arabia clubs.
City have already lost and signed a player in the engine room this summer. Captain Ilkay Gundogan departed for the Nou Camp upon the expiration of his City contract, while Mateo Kovacic has been signed from Chelsea for a deal worth up to £30million.
Whether Bernardo moves on to link up with former team-mate Gundogan in Catalonia this summer remains to be seen. But his departure would be a loss for City given he is a key player who has played a big part in the club’s success under Pep Guardiola.
According to Spanish publication Sport, the midfielder is said to be ‘desperate’ to move to Barcelona and he has spent more than a year trying to engineer an exit from the Etihad Stadium. His relationship with City and Guardiola has not deteriorated, but the report says it remains a dream of his to play for Barca, even though the Spanish side’s financial situation could complicate a deal, unless funds are brought in from player sales.