Barcleona have been handed a major boost in pursuit of Bernardo Silva, with Pep Guardiola confirming that he wishes to leave Manchester City.
As quoted by Manchester Evening News, Pep Guardiola has revealed that Bernardo Silva wants to leave Manchester City in the summer transfer window. The Manchester City has left the exit door open for the 26-year-old Portuguese international, who is being courted by Barcelona.
Bernardo Silva joined Manchester City from AS Monaco in the summer of 2017, arriving at the Etihad on the back of a scintillating spell at the principality club. The move to City, though, has worked out reasonably well, even though he has become a rotation option in the last couple of seasons.
To date, the 26-year-old has turned out 201 times for Manchester City, chipping in with 35 goals and 44 assists along the way. However, it is the aforementioned rotation role that appears to have caused Silva to consider his future with the Premier League champions. And now, Pep Guardiola has also confirmed that the Portuguese international wants to depart the Etihad, thereby handing Barcelona a boost in his pursuit.
The former Barcelona boss said, “He’s our player. Not just Bernardo, there are two, three or four players that want to leave but they are our players under contract and when they bring some offer and their agents come here and they want to leave we are open to discuss absolutely everything but it depends on them.”
“Otherwise, they will continue training really well, they will stay here and I will decide if they stay or don’t stay. The players who want to leave know the door is open because we don’t want anyone here unsatisfied but they have to bring someone. Otherwise, they will stay here.”
Barcelona have indeed been linked heavily with Silva in the last couple of months or so, with the interest making a world of sense, seeing as Miralem Pjanic is surplus to requirements at Camp Nou whereas Ilaix Moriba’s future is uncertain amid a contract standoff with the club. As a result, it is hardly surprising that Barcelona are in the market for a midfielder, with Silva a viable target.
With Guardiola confirming that Silva is free to leave after confessing to his desire to call it quits at Manchester City, all Barcelona now need to do is table an acceptable bid for the 26-year-old. That being said, it remains to be seen if a summer move sees the light of the day for the Portuguese international.
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