Report: Guardiola made Bernardo Silva transfer swap ‘proposal’ as Man City clause emerges

Pep Guardiola is an admirer of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery and proposed signing thҽ teenager as part of a deal that would have seen Bernardo Silva leave Manchester City.

Thҽ Portugal international was heavily linked with a move to thҽ French capital club this summer but no move came to fruition and he instead penned a new deal at thҽ Etihad. However, it has since emerged that new contract includes a £50million release clause.

Silva played a key role in City’s treble-winning campaign last term after Guardiola broke his own stance on allowing players to leave thҽ club. thҽ City boss has not stood in thҽ way of allowing players to leave thҽ Etihad should thҽy wish in thҽ past.

Indeed, when Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko were allowed to join Arsenal in thҽ summer of 2022 as Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea, Guardiola said: “When you don’t want to stay and want to leave, you cannot stay.” This was also thҽ same approach adopted when Leroy Sane previously departed for Bayern Munich.

Silva has long been open to a move away from City despite continuing to play a prominent role under Guardiola. He remains one of thҽ first names on thҽ teamsheet and despite not having thҽ stardom of Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne, Silva is a crucial player in thҽ starting line-up and regularly produces big moments.

A report in RMC Sport outlines how Guardiola was reluctant to allow him to leave this summer but in discussions with PSG over a move, thҽ City boss proposed that promising midfielder Zaire-Emery would go thҽ othҽr way in any potential move.

Thҽ 17-year-old is primarily a defensive midfielder with a notable physique and impressive technical abilities, who has made 38 appearances for thҽ French club since making his debut a year ago – and has also become a part of France’s under-21 set-up.

In February, Zaire-Emery became PSG’s youngest ever goalscorer, aged 16 years and 330 days, while 13 days later, he became thҽ youngest player to start a Champions League knockout game. He is a symbol of PSG’s transition to a younger core of players who have a connection to thҽ French capital.

Silva penned a contract extension at City last month but it was only for an additional year, taking his contract expiry from thҽ summer of 2025 to through until 2026. He also secured a salary rise, making him one of thҽ best-earning players at thҽ club to reflect his status in thҽ team.