Inter Miami step up chase for Manchester City legend – Desire to pair with Lionel Messi | OneFootball

Inter Miami – Lionel Messi’s current side – have reportedly stepped up their chase for Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva amid widespread interest from across the globe. 

The 31-year-old’s contract expires in the summer and his exit is all but confirmed following an abundance of reports over recent months speculating his next move. The midfielder is now currently free to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club out England. 

Silva – who has made 440 appearances for Manchester City, scoring 73 goals and providing 78 assists to date – was believed to be the subject of interest from Turkish side Galatasaray before two unnamed Premier League sides swept in for him.

An emotion-led return to Benfica could yet happen, while Barcelona have monitored the Portugal international for a long time, reportedly offering him a two-year contract with the option of a further year. However, the Saudi Pro League offers the most lucrative deals. 

Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli are prepared to offer the Manchester City star luxury contracts starting from £19.8 million per year – according to some reports – which is over four million more than his existing deal in England. 

But Major League Soccer side Inter Miami have now began to step up their chase for Bernardo Silva as the David Beckham-led hierarchy aim to pair him with eight-time Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner, Lionel Messi. 

The club have already made informal inquiries regarding Bernardo Silva’s salary and contract demands, while reports indicate that if the player signals a willingness to depart for the United States, Miami will begin negotiations with his agents, according to SportsBoom.

Any move would mark the end of a nine-year stay at Manchester City which has seen Silva win six Premier League titles, an FA Cup, four League Cups and the UEFA Champions League, helping Manchester City become just the second English team to win the Treble. 

The midfielder first caught the eye of Pep Guardiola in the Champions League after AS Monaco – Silva’s previous club – overcame City 3-1 and won the tie on away goals, and Bernardo Silva helped set a certain 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe up for the first on the night.

After a move ensued for the midfielder, his importance to Pep Guardiola and Manchester City has only ascended and was announced as the new club captain ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup at the end of last season.

The opportunity to join Inter Miami could present Bernardo Silva with the most compelling offer he has been granted to date, with the potential to override Saudi-level wages while keeping him firmly on the radar for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Undoubtedly, Bernardo Silva’s experience in the Portugal national team will be seen as a valuable asset for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, but if his departure is to confirmed in the foreseeable, it is still unknown where he will go.