Man City now ‘willing’ to accept offer for player Guardiola ‘loves’ as European giants ramp up interest
Manchester City are reportedly ‘willing’ to accept an offer of £70m for Bernardo Silva, who is a key target for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
The Portugal international has been linked with a departure from the Etihad for some time. However, Pep Guardiola would ideally prefer to keep him for another season.
Despite this, the manager is now willing to let Silva leave Man City, but only for the right price.
His current deal with the Cityzens is set to expire in 2025. He has allegedly been offered a new contract by Guardiola, but has so far refused to sign an extension.
As previously reported by Football365, Silva is keen to embark on a fresh challenge elsewhere next season, despite his overwhelming success with Man City.
In 2022/23, Silva made 55 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and making eight assists in the process.
Indeed, the versatile player was key to Man City’s success, who secured a historic treble after beating Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Throughout his time at the Etihad, he has helped his team to lift five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, as well as the Champions League.
Now, his recent performances have unsurprisingly caught the attention of two of Europe’s top teams: PSG and Barcelona.
Interestingly, recent reports suggest that PSG offered Marco Veratti and Gianluigi Donnarumma as a straight swap for Silva. But, Guardiola turned them down instantly.
As mentioned, Guardiola will not let Silva – one of his most influential players, whom he ‘loves’ – leave on the cheap.
However, according to Football Insider, the Man City manager will allow Silva to leave ‘if his £70m price tag is met.’
The report adds that PSG are ready to ‘firm up’ their interest in the Portuguese star. This is partly due to the confirmed departure of Lionel Messi and potential departure of Neymar.
Despite spending enormous amounts of money over the last few years, the French giants have still never won the Champions League. So, Silva could be exactly the kind of player they need.
Also, Barcelona maintain an interest in Silva. Although they may find it difficult to complete a deal due to their well-known financial issues.
As a result, PSG are currently leading the race for Silva. So, it will be interesting to see if they meet Man City’s £70m price tag over the next few weeks.
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