Manchester City intends to hold talks with Bernardo Silva to discuss his future after the midfielder expressed a desire to leave the Etihad for Spain in each of the previous two summers.
Barcelona has expressed interest in the 28-year-old, but no formal bids have been received, and City wants to know if the Portugal international will seek to leave the club at the end of this season.
The Premier League champions and manager Pep Guardiola want Silva to stay at the club for the next two and a half years.
But City would not stand in his way if the Portugal international still wanted to leave and they received an offer of more than £80million.
After joining Monaco in 2017, he has proven one of Guardiola’s best signings and a fans’ favorite.
Silva has recently stated that, while he ‘loves’ Manchester, he misses the culture of Iberia.
Both the club and the player have appreciated the candor in previous discussions, and it is clear that they will need clarity early this season.
Talks with Silva, expected to take place over the coming months, will go some way to dictating City’s strategy in the summer transfer window.
They are still on the lookout for a fullback but are expected to make a significant investment into the midfield area.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham has admirers at City – particularly after an eye-catching display in the Champions League earlier this month – although a host of elite clubs, including Liverpool and Real Madrid, are vying for his signature.
Sporting director Txiki Begiristain is drawing up a list of a few potential replacements for Silva, while captain Ilkay Gundogan’s contract expires at the end of the campaign.
Gundogan, impressive since assuming the armband from the departed Fernandinho, has previously refused to rush decisions on his future.
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