Bernardo Silva ‘desperate’ to hand in transfer request to Pep Guardiola and more transfer rumours

Bernardo Silva is desperate to seal a move to Barcelona from Manchester City this summer, reports in the Spanish media claim.

Silva is a long-term target for the La Liga side, who reportedly admit they will struggle to fit the Portuguese midfielder within their salary cap.

The Portugal international’s contract at City runs until the summer of 2025. Though City are under no immediate pressure to sell with the player not entering the final 12 months of his contract, Bernardo has interest in his services from both Barca and Saudi Arabia clubs.

City have already lost and signed a player in the engine room this summer. Captain Ilkay Gundogan departed for the Nou Camp upon the expiration of his City contract, while Mateo Kovacic has been signed from Chelsea for a deal worth up to £30million.

Whether Bernardo moves on to link up with former team-mate Gundogan in Catalonia this summer remains to be seen. But his departure would be a loss for City given he is a key player who has played a big part in the club’s success under Pep Guardiola.

According to Spanish publication Sport, the midfielder is said to be ‘desperate’ to move to Barcelona and he has spent more than a year trying to engineer an exit from the Etihad Stadium.

Signing for Barca is described as being a ‘dream’ for Silva. But it could be an ‘impossible operation’ for Barca due to the hefty price tag City will demand, alongside the player’s wages.

According to TeamTalk, the attacking midfielder has made clear to City that he wants to leave. The Treble winners are supposedly demanding at least £75million to part ways with the former Benfica man.

Barca apparently believe they could eventually afford that fee, helped by the reported imminent exit of winger Ousmane Dembele. Paris Saint-Germain are believed to be closing in on a £43m move for the France international, who remains the second most expensive purchase in Barca’s history.

Elsewhere, Portuguese publication Record reports that Barca are close to signing one of Bernardo’s team-mate for club and country in the form of Joao Cancelo.

It is claimed both clubs are in “advanced negotiations” for the defender, who is expected to leave City this summer after falling out of favour at the Etihad Stadium.