Chelsea are gearing up for an intense transfer battle as they look to sign Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva.
According to a report from Marca, Chelsea are interested in acquiring the services of Bernardo Silva, who is set to leave Manchester City as a free agent after the end of the season. While the London club are desperate to have him in their ranks, they’ll have to battle Barcelona and three other top European clubs to get their hands on him.
Following an impressive rise at AS Monaco, Silva made the move to Manchester City in the summer of 2017 in a deal worth £43 million. The 31-year-old has done wonders for Pep Guardiola’s team during his nine-year spell in Manchester.
During his time at the club, the Portuguese international has won six Premier League titles and the Champions League title. Apart from his goals, assists, and technical ability, his versatility has stood out. While he prefers playing as an attacking midfielder, Guardiola has used him on the right flank, as a central midfielder, and as a second striker when needed.
Silva has thrived in almost every role that he has been asked to play. Over the years, he has been involved in 459 matches and has contributed towards 153 goals (76 goals, 77 assists). While the 31-year-old remains one of the first names on their team sheet and the club would love to have him around for a few more years, he has decided to bring an end to his time at Manchester City.
European giants are after Silva
The former AS Monaco midfielder will not be signing a new contract and will depart as a free agent this summer. With him said to be available for free, a number of top clubs are after his signature. Barcelona, who have a long-standing interest in the attacking midfielder, are one of the clubs that could make a move.
While they do have Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Fermin Lopez, who can feature in the number 10 role, the Catalan giants would still love to add Silva to their squad. His experience, versatility, and leadership skills could do wonders for the Spanish giants.
Chelsea to battle four top clubs for Silva
However, they won’t find it easy to lure him. Chelsea are set to rival Barcelona in their pursuit of the Manchester City star. The Blues do have a lot of quality in the final third, but they lack experience. Not only can he rival Cole Palmer, but he could also help in his development.
Amidst uncertainty around Enzo Fernandez‘s future, Silva could be just the perfect signing for the London club from a leadership perspective. His ability to feature anywhere in midfield as well as attack will give Xabi Alonso a lot of tactical options. Since he has already proven himself in the Premier League, adjusting to life at Stamford Bridge won’t be much of a challenge for the 31-year-old.
Apart from Barcelona, the London club will also have to rival Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus. The Madrid-based club see him as an ideal replacement for Antoine Griezmann.
Meanwhile, Milan lack quality creative midfielders, and they believe pairing Silva up with Modric could do wonders for them. As far as the Old Lady are concerned, the City star will be a massive upgrade on their current midfield options and will help them bounce back after a disappointing campaign.