‘Extraordinary’ Man City star includes cheeky ‘Barcelona clause’ in new contract as he eyes dream move

Bernardo Silva has a release clause in his new Manchester City contract that can only be triggered by Barcelona, it has been claimed.

The Portugal international was keen on a switch to Barcelona this summer but Pep Guardiola managed to convince him to stay at the Etihad for at least one more season.

That is no surprise, either, given his importance to the team. Silva signed for Man City back in 2017. He has since made 310 appearances in all competitions, scoring 55 goals and making 59 assists.

In the process, the 29-year-old has won 14 major trophies with the Cityzens, including a historic treble last season.

Guardiola is clearly a huge admirer of Silva. He convinced the Portuguese star to sign a new contract last month, which will run until 2026. Barcelona were also unable to afford him at the time due to their ongoing financial struggles.

The Man City boss was asked in April if Silva is the best player in the world, to which he responded: “I don’t know if Bernardo is the best player in the world and I don’t care. What I see is an incredibly nice guy. It is a joy to work with him.

“He is an extraordinary player, absolutely.”

READ MORE: ‘You’d have to speak with Pep’ – Southgate explains why Man City star can’t play in preferred position for England

Reports suggest, however, that Silva has included a clause in his new deal, which could see him make the switch to LaLiga after all.

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Silva managed to include a release clause in his new deal that can only be triggered by Barcelona.

The ‘Barcelona clause’ is reportedly worth £50m, and a move to the Spanish giants ‘still appeals’ to Silva. It’s more likely he would move there at the end of the season than in January, however.

It remains to be seen whether or not Barcelona can cobble together the funds to meet Silva’s release clause. Guardiola will hope that they can’t, but it’s clear to see that Silva still dreams of playing his football at the Camp Nou.

READ MORE: Arsenal, Man City vying to ‘remove’ World Cup winner from Atletico in three-team transfer battle