FC Barcelona Make Transfer Deadline Day Offer For Bernardo Silva To Manchester City

FC Barcelona have made a last-ditch offer to sign Bernardo Silva from Manchester City on transfer deadline day.

After the Catalans successfully landed the likes of Jules Kounde, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski ahead of the 2022/2023 season, Silva became their manager Xavi Hernandez’s last remaining target in the current window which closes in a few hours on September 1.

Due to Barca’s heavy debts of around $1.4 billion and their troubles navigating Financial Fair Play rules, however, an approach for Silva has been difficult to make with it believed that Frenkie de Jong would have to leave the La Liga giants first in order for Silva to don Blaugrana.

Around an hour after Gerard Romero reported that Barca had received an offer in excess of €100mn ($99.4 mn) for De Jong on Thursday afternoon, however, Portuguese transfer guru Pedro Almeida claimed that Barca had submitted a proposal for Silva.

According to Almeida, this was sent to City in the morning and would see Barca pay €70mn ($69.5mn) plus another €10mn ($9.94 million) in add-ons, but there has thus far been no reply from the PremierPINC
League champions.

Following Wednesday’s 6-0 win over Nottingham Forest where Erling Haaland bagged his second consecutive hat trick, Silva declared that he would remain at the Etihad this term.

“I’m staying in Manchester, here I’m happy and the decision has been made,” he told Barcelona-based radio station RAC1.

After Silva inspired a 4-2 comeback win at the weekend against Crystal Palace where Haaland again took the match ball home, his coach Pep Guardiola also waxed lyrical about the former Monaco man and his importance to the cause.

“Some players maybe step backwards and he [Silva] makes a step forward. That’s why he is irreplaceable in many ways for us,” Guardiola confessed.

“He’s so important for us, he can play in four or five positions. And it’s not just on the pitch, it’s off it too. In the locker room, I want him here so much,” Guardiola added.

With the window about to close, though, it remains to be seen whether the English top flight holders will be tempted to cash in.