Fabrizio Romano relays major twist in Bernardo Silva future saga upon Manchester City exit | OneFootball

Manchester City’s recently departed skipper Bernardo Silva has not agreed a deal with a suitor club yet and will decide his next destination after the FIFA World Cup, as per a new report.

Barcelona are understood to have reached an agreement in principle to sign Silva as a free agent, with a deal reported to be around 80% complete and the Portuguese having been willing to accept a substantial wage reduction to facilitate a move to the Camp Nou.

A resolution before the FIFA World Cup had been widely anticipated after the 31-year-old brought the curtain down on an illustrious nine year spell at the Etihad Stadium, also drawing interest from Galatasaray, Juventus, Benfica and the Saudi Pro League.

Romano: Bernardo will decide after the World Cup

According to Fabrizio Romano, Silva will make a decision on his next destination only upon returning from the FIFA World Cup, with no agreement currently in place with any club.

“Bernardo (Silva) will decide after World Cup,” super agent Jorge Mendes said, as relayed by Romano amid the Portuguese’s preparations for what could be one of his last opportunities to make an impact on the international stage.

The delay does not necessarily indicate that Silva’s preference has changed, however. Barcelona remain the club most closely associated with a move but it does suggest the 31-year-old is in no rush to finalise his future while international football’s biggest tournament demands his full attention.

What does the delay mean for Silva’s suitors?

The update will be of interest to the full range of clubs linked with Silva’s signature this summer – as Manchester City fans keenly watch from a distance as to where their recently departed captain will move ahead of the 2026-27 season.

For a player of Silva’s calibre, available on a free transfer and fresh from helping City to a domestic double in what proved to be an extraordinary farewell season, the queue of interested parties is unlikely to shorten while the wait continues.

He described his departure from the Etihad Stadium as the end of “something truly special” after playing his final game in a Manchester City shirt against Aston Villa a few weeks ago – but the next chapter, for now, remains unwritten.