Catalan giants Barcelona have reportedly pulled the plug on a possible move for 28-year-old Portuguese international Bernardo Silva.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Bernardo Silva is no longer a top target for Barcelona. The Catalan giants have cooled their interest in the 28-year-old Portuguese international due to his excessive price tag amid their continued financial distress.
Bernardo Silva has been one of the best playmakers in the Premier League since joining Manchester City. The player arrived at the Etihad on the back of a splendid 2016/17 campaign with AS Monaco, who beat Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title. And he has gone from strength to strength in the last half a decade.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a solid 2022/23 season thus far, chipping in with two goals and five assists in 23 appearances. But the Portuguese international was inconsistent at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where Portugal went out in the quarter-finals. Nonetheless, Silva remains a hot property in the market, with Barcelona continually pursuing him.
Barcelona had been keen on signing Silva in the summer transfer window. But Manchester City slapped a near nine-figure price tag on the former AS Monaco playmaker. And with Barcelona failing to offload Frenkie de Jong, a move did not materialise. But the interest in the player remained beyond the summer.
Recent reports even indicated that the Catalan giants have been prioritising signing Silva next year. And with de Jong’s future still uncertain, it is hardly surprising that the 28-year-old remains a top target for Barcelona. But the Blaugrana will not sign the Portuguese international next year.
With Manchester City demanding between €60 million and €80 million for the player, Barcelona will not be able to afford him. So the Catalan giants have moved on from Silva and will look at other midfielders that fit their budget for the summer transfer window. And he might even end up signing a new contract with Manchester City.
In addition, Barcelona will likely need to replace Sergio Busquets. So they will need to prioritise signing a holding midfielder in the summer transfer window. And amid their continued financial distress, they will not have the budget to afford the 28-year-old Portuguese international, a playmaker.
