Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has told Pep Guardiola he wishes to leave the club.
FC Barcelona transfer target Bernardo Silva has told his Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola he wishes to leave the club according to Mundo Deportivo.
As seen last summer when the Blaugrana couldn’t raise the funds to buy him after pulling a series of ‘economic levers’, Silva is president Joan Laporta and head coach Xavi Hernandez’s number one desire in the currently open summer window.
On Friday, SPORT reported that Barca had prepared a package of €65 million ($71.7 million) in fixed money plus €10 million ($11 million) in variables for the midfielder.
This came after Paris Saint-Germain had a bid of €80 million ($87.8 million) knocked back for the Portuguese, though it was suggested that frayed relations between Qatar and Abu Dhabi could have influenced the rejection.
Then on Sunday, SPORT broke news that Barca had made a joint bid for Silva and Joao Cancelo – who Fabrizio Romano revealed agreed personal terms with the Catalans – which would involve them taking the compatriots on loan with an obligation to buy.
No figures were available for how much would be paid for Cancelo. But in Silva’s case, Barca suggested they would cough up €70 million ($77.1 million) for the 29-year-old at the end of the upcoming season, during a time he would have little more than 12 months to run on his contract with the Premier League giants.
Following their penalties defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield, however, City reportedly sent Barca a response.
In short, they refuse to negotiate Silva’s exit until he has explicitly told them he wishes to leave.
And according to Mundo Deportivo at the turn of the week, this has now been done by the recent Champions League winner to his boss Pep Guardiola.
This could trigger City finally heading to the negotiation table with Barca, and honoring a club policy of not standing in a player’s way when he wishes to move on.
“I don’t want any players who don’t want to be here. I want to work with guys who want to stay,” Guardiola said ahead of the Community Shield clash at Wembley.
“But we need a proper offer, we didn’t… If they want him, they’ll get on a plane and speak to our sporting director…,” he trailed off.
Now Laporta, plus his lead directors Deco and Mateu Alemany, must put their money where their mouth is, and use as much cash as possible from the expected sales of Ousmane Dembele and Franck Kessie to land Silva.