Bernardo Silva advancing in contract talks with Real Madrid, confirms Fabrizio Romano | OneFootball

Real Madrid have sent an formal offer to Bernardo Silva and are in concrete negotiations to sign the playmaker following his Manchester City departure, as per a new report.

The development marks a dramatic twist in one of the summer’s most closely followed free agent sagas, with Barcelona understood to reached an agreement in principle to sign Silva earlier this year and the Catalan club having long been considered the frontrunners for his signature ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Silva has departed Manchester City as a free agent after nine illustrious years at the Etihad Stadium, bringing the curtain down on a spell that yielded six Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League and 20 major honours in total.

The 31-year-old confirmed last week that no final decision had been made on his next club, insisting he would find a team “where they really love me” once the FIFA World Cup concludes.

Report: Real Madrid send official proposal to Silva

As reported by transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid have sent an official proposal to Bernardo Silva and are in advanced negotiations with the Portugal international, who has departed Manchester City as a free agent.

The update represents a direct challenge to Barcelona‘s long-held position at the front of the queue, with Los Blancos now moving concretely for a player who had been widely expected to end up at the Camp Nou after agreeing a substantial wage reduction to facilitate that move.

Silva’s agent Jorge Mendes confirmed earlier this month that his client would only decide his future after the World Cup, with the Portuguese currently representing his country at the tournament in North America.

The emergence of Real Madrid adds a fourth elite destination to a list that already included Barcelona, Juventus and Galatasaray, with the Turkish club having tabled a financially superior three-year offer that Silva has shown no interest in pursuing.

What is the wider context for Silva’s decision?

A move to Real Madrid would represent a remarkable turn given Silva’s long-stated preference for Barcelona, with the playmaker having held a desire to return closer to his homeland for the latter stages of his career.

The Madrid hierarchy under president Florentino Perez have been active in the free agent market this summer, with new head coach Jose Mourinho – a fellow Portuguese and long-time admirer of Silva – having begun reshaping his squad ahead of the new season.

Silva told reporters last week that he has respect for all interested clubs and that the deciding factor will be feeling genuinely wanted, a criterion both Spanish giants will now be working hard to satisfy.

A final decision is expected once Portugal’s World Cup campaign concludes, with Silva having made clear his chosen club will know his answer before any public announcement follows.