Barcelona and Manchester City have discussed a deal for Bernardo Silva, but according to reports, the LaLiga giants can only afford to sign the Portugal midfielder if they sell Frenkie de Jong.
Barcelona have been a long-time admirer of Silva, but the club is still in a fragile financial position, needing to sell and dump players before bringing in new players.
Silva was the key name highlighted by Xavi when Barcelona met with Jorge Mendes on Thursday evening to discuss potential transfers, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Xavi is believed to be a ‘huge fan’ of the Manchester City midfielder, who has been with the club since 2017. However, signing him this summer will be a difficult task for the team.
Barcelona’s team has recently been bolstered by a £235 million naming rights agreement with Spotify, and they are looking to add to it in order to challenge for big titles once more.
However, Barcelona are still in financial trouble after years of mismanagement under previous president Josep Bartomeu and his predecessors.
As a result, the Catalan giants can only afford to pursue Silva if they sell De Jong, who has captured Pep Guardiola’s interest with his superb performances in the 2021-2022 season.
Guardiola is thought to be a big fan of the former Ajax midfielder, with Sportsmail reporting that the former Barcelona coach personally called him in 2019 to attempt to persuade him to join City.
However, Manchester United, City’s Premier League rivals, have shown interest in the young Holland international, whose value is approximately £65 million.
Erik ten Hag is rumored to be looking to bolster Man United’s midfield, with Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic both expected to depart during the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, Silva had a great season of his own, with sources claiming that the club’s coaches regarded last season as one of his best in a blue shirt.
During his 35 appearances in the Premier League, Silva scored eight goals and added four assists. During the Champions League and FA Cup, he added five more goals to his tally.
As a result, it’s unclear whether the Premier League champions will sell Silva, who has a deal until 2025 with the club.
