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Bernardo Silva is set to stay at Man City after Barcelona move breaks down – with cash-strapped Catalan side needing to stump up £85m for his services
- Bernardo Silva looks set to stay at Manchester City despite links with Barcelona
- Barca would have to pay £80-85m to sign and register the player with LaLiga
- The Catalan giants would likely have to sell Frenkie de Jong to finance a move
- Silva asked the club to accept any reasonable offer but will now focus on City
- City boss Pep Guardiola was unwilling to do business late in the transfer window
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Versatile midfielder Bernardo Silva is ready to abandon thoughts of a move to Xavi’s Barcelona this summer as he prepares to commit to Manchester City.
The Athletic are reporting that the Portuguese playmaker will now focus on playing at the Etihad after yet another summer linking him with a move to the Catalan giants, with City’s valuation deterring any Barca interest.
And Sportsmail understands Silva is likely to stay at City and that they’ve been looking for a replacement in the event that Barca managed to overcome their financial issues. However Barca would likely need to spend £80-85million to land Silva and ensure that he is registered with LaLiga.
Manchester City’s versatile midfielder Bernardo Silva looks set to stay at the Etihad this season
Silva told ESPN of his desire to make the move happen last week, saying: ‘I have been open with [City] and they know what I want.
‘It’s a big club and they don’t want players who are not happy at the club. They always say to all of us that if you’re not happy, you can go.’
Key to making the move happen would be Barca successfully moving on Frenkie de Jong first, which has proved to be difficult this summer, in the hope they could raise enough funds to bring Silva to the Camp Nou.
The Portuguese playmaker had previously requested the club accept any reasonable offers
Silva was keen on the move and had requested the City hierarchy accept any reasonable offers from the Blaugrana but that is now unlikely to be forthcoming as he looks set to continue his five-year stay at the Etihad.
Although Silva is now open to staying at City much of that is likely due to the fact that Barca have not made a single firm offer.
The player had been interested in playing closer to his family in Portugal and the chance to play in Spanish league, but looks set to remain professional and fully commit to City this season.
Any move to bring Silva to the Camp Nou would have had to see Frenkie de Jong move on
Pep Guardiola’s side are loathe to make any moves late in the transfer market as it would not give them sufficient time to find the meet replacement to fit the Catalan manager’s rigorous standards.
And surely the thought of losing one of his most important players is one that had worried Guardiola, with the versatile Portuguese midfielder proving decisive on numerous occasions as City swept to title wins in four of the last five seasons.
The 28-year-old has played 253 games for City in all competitions, scoring 48 goals and providing 50 assists, and has become a fan favourite with his name being loudly cheered at the Etihad against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Xavi looks set to miss out on a player he believed could turn his side’s into title challengers