Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Bernardo Silva’s situation at Manchester City, with Mikel Arteta keen on the Portuguese international.
According to the Mirror, Bernardo Silva is facing an uncertain future at Manchester City, along with three other stars. It has put Arsenal on red alert, with Mikel Arteta, in particular, exploring a potential move for the talented playmaker.
The recent arrival of Jack Grealish could see Silva fall down the pecking order at Etihad. The former SL Benfica prodigy has had to share game-time with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden during his time at the club and his situation could get trickier now. As such, he could be offloaded by the English champions in an attempt to balance the books.
It serves as a major positive for Arsenal, who are in the market for a new number ten this summer. The north London giants offloaded Mesut Ozil in January while Martin Odegaard has returned to Real Madrid, following the end of his loan spell.
The Norwegian’s return to the Bernabeu has left a massive void in the creative department for Arsenal, causing Arteta to explore options in the market. One of the club’s top targets this summer is James Maddison, but the Leicester City star commands a sizable price tag that may rule Arsenal out of contention, especially with the Foxes unwilling to accept any players in exchange.
Arsenal are facing a similar situation in the pursuit of Lautaro Martinez. They had reportedly offered Alexandre Lacazette and Hector Bellerin in a direct player exchange deal to sign the Argentine. However, the proposal has been swiftly rejected by the Nerazzurri, who are firm on their £65 million.
One could imagine the Gunners also struggling to finance a deal for Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese international may not be averse to joining the club, as he does have an excellent relationship with Arteta, thanks to their time together at Etihad.
However, the 26-year-old is reportedly valued at around €70 million by Manchester City. Not to mention, Silva is also a target for Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur as well as Spanish giants FC Barcelona, who will be desperate for a new playmaker after failing to secure a new deal for Lionel Messi.
At the end of the day, Arsenal’s pursuit of the Man City star will hinge on their ability to offload fringe players such as Bellerin and Lacazette, knowing their potential departures should help them fund a move for the Portuguese international this summer.
