Man City prepare response to Barcelona interest in Bernardo Silva as Xavi a ‘big fan’

Man Utd issue De Jong ultimatum; Arsenal plan Zinchenko swoop; West Ham consider Soucek sale

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Manchester City are preparing for a bid from Barcelona for star Bernardo Silva. Xavi is reported to be a ‘big fan’ of the Portuguese international but any deal could hinge on the club selling Frenkie de Jong. 

Silva was heavily linked with a move away from the North-West last summer with the player unhappy with his game time and attracting interest from the likes of AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and current suitors Barca. However, he stayed to become one of Pep Guardiola’s best players last season, especially during the early part of the campaign. The 27-year-old scored 13 goals and made seven assists as he helped the Sky Blues claim the Premier League title.

However, the midfielder is now attracting interest from Barcelona as Xavi seeks to build on improvements made during the last campaign to challenge Real Madrid for the La Liga title this term. The Camp Nou side finished runners-up to their biggest rivals last season, ending 13 points behind the Champions League winners. Any deal for Silva will not be easy with City set to place a huge transfer fee on his services.

Silva has been mentioned in meetings between Barcelona and Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes according to Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist also reporting that Xavi is a ‘big fan’ of the player. 

Ironically, any deal for Silva could rest upon the Sky Blues city rivals Manchester United. Romano reports that any deal for Silva would currently be impossible for Barcelona given the price tag, however they would have sufficient funds should Frenkie de Jong leave. The Dutchman is attracting serious interest from the Old Trafford club with new manager Erik ten Hag. The new United boss worked closely with de Jong at Ajax, helping him make his big breakthrough in the first team before he was sold to Barca. 

According to reports the Catalan club have placed a £72 million valuation on De Jong meaning a deal would not come cheap. Furthermore, the 25-year-old was an important cog within Xavi’s midfield three last season, making 32 appearances in La Liga. The Spaniard may be willing to part with the player this year however if he felt he could strengthen his side with the acquisition of Silva.

Should a deal go through, Silva would become the latest player to swap the Premier League for Xavi’s Barcelona, following in the footsteps of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Adama Traore and ex-City teammate Fernan Torres. However, a deal still looks unlikely at this stage with the Spanish club short on cash and the Sky Blues reluctant to part with one of their key players. 

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