Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva reportedly wants to leave the reigning Premier League champions because of the English weather.
According to British outlet Football Insider, Bernardo Silva is eager to leave Etihad Stadium due to the English weather and wants a “better style of living” away from Manchester, suggesting that a move abroad is now on the cards at the end of the season.
Will Bernardo Silva leave in the summer amid Barcelona links?
The Portugal international has proven to be an outstanding signing for the Premier League side, as he has been an immense player for them during Pep Guardiola’s reign at the Etihad.
Silva has made just short of 350 appearances for Manchester City, and he continues to be a valuable asset, winning five Premier League titles and one Champions League, among numerous other trophies. So far this season, he has nine goals and five assists in 38 outings across all competitions.
Despite this, the 29-year-old could leave Manchester City in the summer. He has been linked with moves away from the Etihad in the past but ended up staying put. Towards the end of last year, he put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension to extend his deal until 2026. But this is said to feature a release clause.
Earlier this week, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano pointed out that there is a £50 million exit clause in his deal. With Silva looking for a change of scenery, Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes is in talks with Barcelona about the Manchester City star. But he has also knocked on Real Madrid’s doorstep, as per reports in Spain.
It is claimed that Mendes is offering Silva to Real Madrid for a similar sum. While this is deemed an affordable price, the Real Madrid president does not consider him a valuable addition to the team given his age, and as such, he has rejected the proposal of Mendes.
In terms of Barcelona’s interest in Silva, it has been claimed that club president Joao Laporta is looking for a marquee addition to appease the fans, which somewhat helps mitigate the impact that Kylian Mbappe heading to Real Madrid may have on Barcelona, and that Silva could be that star, with Erling Haaland unattainable right now.