Bernardo Silva is reportedly set to hold showdown talks with Pep Guardiola in an attempt to force a move to Barcelona on a cut-price fee.
According to an exclusive report by The Sun, Bernardo Silva is intent on leaving Manchester City to join Barcelona in the summer transfer window. Valued at £45 million by the defending Premier League champions, the 26-year-old is set to hold showdown talks with Pep Guardiola in an attempt to engineer an exit from the Etihad.
Bernardo Silva joined Manchester City from AS Monaco in the summer of 2017, arriving at the Etihad amid a lot of hype surrounding him following a scintillating season with the Ligue 1 outfit, who beat Paris Saint-Germain to the league title. Since making his way to England, the Portuguese international has grown in stature further, both for club and country.
However, over the last couple of seasons, the 26-year-old has been handed a rotation role by Pep Guardiola, which has resulted in him desiring a summer move away from Manchester City. This is sure to alert a number of his suitors, chief among whom are Barcelona.
The interest from Barcelona is hardly surprising, considering their midfield unit is a bit light of quality, if not quantity. With Miralem Pjanic surplus to requirements and Ilaix Moriba at an impasse with the Blaugrana over the terms of a new contract, it is clear why they would be in the market for a midfield reinforcement.
Indeed, if both Pjanic and Moriba depart Barcelona this summer, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri will be the only regular options remaining at Ronald Koeman’s disposal, as far as the midfield unit is concerned, especially with Riqui Puig not fancied a great deal by the Barcelona boss so far.
As a result, Silva is a viable target for the Catalan giants, who are set to receive a shot in the arm, as far as their pursuit of the Portuguese playmaker goes. That is because Silva is pushing for a summer move away from Manchester City and he wants to force a cut-price switch to Barcelona.
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So, although Manchester City value the 26-year-old at around £45 million, which is a sum that is beyond Barcelona’s financial means, he is hoping they are forced to accept a lower sum for him. What now remains to be seen is if Silva gets his wish to join Barcelona on the cheap, with showdown talks with Pep Guardiola scheduled.