Five clubs are reportedly aiming to sign Bernardo Silva from Manchester City and he has already been given the opportunity to earn a massive £500,000 a week when securing his next move, with TEAMtalk analysing potential switches to Barcelona and Juventus.
Silva has proven to be a superb signing since joining Man City from Monaco for £43.5million in July 2017. He has been perfect for Pep Guardiola’s style and has established himself as a modern-day icon at the Etihad.
Silva’s classy performances and pivotal goals have helped City lift trophies such as the Champions League, Premier League (x6), FA Cup (x2) and League Cup (x4).
The midfielder was named captain in June following the departures of previous leaders Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne.
It was the first time in Guardiola’s coaching career that he personally selected his skipper, having previously relied on player votes.
While Silva remains a crucial player for City, it remains to be seen if he will stay beyond the end of the campaign.
His contract expires in June and he is weighing up his options. City are currently focused on tying down other players, most notably Phil Foden.
As per CaughtOffside, at least five clubs will look to take advantage of Silva’s contract situation next summer.
Barcelona have long been on his trail and they have ‘concrete plans’ to complete a deal ready for the 2026-27 season.
They are not the only European giant pursuing the Portugal ace though, with Juventus plotting a swoop of their own – which TEAMtalk revealed in September.
Barca’s move is being spearheaded by sporting director Deco, who sees Silva as an ‘ideal fit’ for Hansi Flick’s style.
Deco views Silva as an absolute bargain as he is an elite player who could be signed for no transfer fee.
Indeed, Deco has already initiated contact with the 31-year-old’s representatives, the report claims.
Further afield, Saudi Arabian trio Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah are all trying to tempt Silva into moving to the Middle East.
Silva currently earns a reported £300k a week at City but Saudi chiefs have offered him a stunning £500k per week.
Al-Nassr want Silva to link up with Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo and eventually become their new talisman once the legendary striker either leaves or retires.
Silva has already told reporters he knows ‘exactly what I’m going to do’ next season, though he stopped short of revealing his plans.
YOUR NEXT READ👉 Erling Haaland ‘isn’t stupid enough’ to leave Man City as Pep Guardiola confirms Barcelona interest
Where could Bernardo Silva go next?
By moving to Saudi Arabia, the 103-cap international would pick up one last huge pay check before retiring, helping his family in the long run.
Silva’s former City team-mates Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte both did just that, though Laporte recently returned to Athletic Club.
If Silva wants to continue playing at the highest level – which is what De Bruyne decided – then he will prioritise joining Barca or Juve.
It is understandable that Barca are long-term admirers of the playmaker, particularly given the strong links between Guardiola’s City and the Catalan giants.
It is understood that Silva has always been excited by the prospect of pulling on the Barca shirt, and he could soon get that chance.
Although, some members of the Barca hierarchy may be concerned about the timing of Silva’s arrival. They would not be getting him in his peak years and this proved an issue with another former City midfielder, Ilkay Gundogan.
LaLiga is currently a more competitive league than Serie A, but De Bruyne could sell Silva on a move to Italy – albeit with Napoli’s rivals Juve.
Serie A has begun picking up more and more ex-Premier League players recently, with De Bruyne starring at Napoli alongside former Manchester United duo Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay.
The lure of Barca could ultimately prove too strong however. They are up there with Real Madrid as one of the biggest clubs in the world and almost everyone dreams of playing for them one day. Plus, moving to Catalonia would mean Silva would be closer to his family who stayed behind in Portugal.
If this writer had to put money on where Silva will go next, it would either be a fairytale move to Barca or a lucrative link-up with Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that City offer him a contract extension. But that all depends on what Silva has communicated to the club he intends to do.
Man City: Guardiola sent title advice; double Rodri update
Meanwhile, Guardiola has been told ‘the one thing’ that his side need to improve if they are to win back the title.
Guardiola has provided an update on Rodri following another injury setback for the Spanish midfielder.
Plus, Real Madrid have made a final decision on whether they will swoop in for Rodri.