Barcelona not giving up on Bernardo Silva transfer
FT Desk
- 27 Aug 2022 18:16 BST
- 3 min read
Bernardo Silva looks to have settled into his stride with Manchester City after being pursued by Barcelona for much of the summer, but it appears that Xavi is refusing to give up hope of bringing him to Camp Nou.
Barcelona have done significant summer spending despite their €1 billion debt, bringing in the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde to the tune of €160 million.
But Barca coach Xavi has long since seen Bernardo as the final piece of his puzzle, the midfielder's vision and playmaking ability seen as the perfect replacement for Frenkie de Jong, whom the club want off the books.
Can Pep convince Bernardo Silva to stay? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/kbVx9sBRz8
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 5, 2022
The Portuguese took part in City's 3-3 friendly draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, and Pep Guardiola previously admitted that there was a chance he could lose his player this summer.
"He is our player; we want him to be with us because he is very important," he said.
"Having said that, I don't want anyone to be unhappy. But I don't want him to leave because he is a superlative player. As a player and as a person, he is one of the best I have ever had. In any competition he is the best player.
Guardiola: 'Bernardo likes Barcelona'
"If an offer arrives there are seven days left and if Bernardo leaves we would have to go to the market and it's not easy. Having said that, Bernardo likes Barcelona a lot."
Bernardo bagged his second goal of the Premier League campaign as City came from behind to beat Crystal Palace on Saturday. Xavi still hopes he'll be doing the business for Barca before the window closes.
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"You never lose hope, but it's difficult," he said. "It's complicated. We're only a few days away. We must have players leaving too."
Barca belatedly registered Kounde for official competition on Friday - the player having joined from Sevilla in July - but Bernardo could cost up to €95m, and with their remaining transfer budget only €75m, the need to sell before they buy is clear.
