Barcelona and Bernardo Silva have been linked for multiple years now, but those links show no sign of going away, with the Portuguese reportedly keen on a move to the Blaugrana for the third summer in a row.
A specific request of Xavi Hernandez, Sport say Barcelona are keen on moving for him this summer regardless of who the manager is. Silva believes his time at Manchester City has come to an end, and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly have turned their attentions elsewhere ahead of this summer, who would have been Barcelona’s biggest rivals for his signature. On the other hand, Silva knows he would have no place at Real Madrid this summer too, leaving him with few top options outside of the Premier League.
🚨 Barcelona is optimistic about signing players this summer without any fair-play restrictions. They've spoken with La Liga, who confirm these positive expectations. @ffpolo
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 23, 2024
The Portuguese has asked former teammate Ilkay Gundogan and compatriots Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix about life in Catalonia, as confirmed by Felix, and feels he would suit Barcelona and vice versa. Silva would not only provide a jump in quality, but the 30-year-old is also an expert at providing the final pass.
His release clause is set at €58m, and any deal would depend on a drastic improvement in Barcelona’s finances, including being able to operate without restrictions on their ability to register players. That in turn would require Barcelona to fit within their salary limit, which would require some major sales in all likelihood. Silva is currently earning €10m per season at City, who know he would like to move on, but is willing to take a pay cut in order to arrive.
It would not be the first time that Silva has been keen on a move, but ultimately it remains a fantasy until Barcelona actually make the required moves to do so. That likely involves sacrificing some other important players, and getting a good price for them, which as Barcelona have found out in previous summers, is easier said than done.
