Bernardo Silva gives up millions for new club... but not Benfica | OneFootball

is getting closer and closer to becoming a Barcelona player. After nine seasons at Manchester City, the Portuguese international has decided to bring his time in England to an end and is already working, together with Jorge Mendes, on defining the next step in his career, which should take him to Catalonia.

The Portuguese midfielder has always been a long-time target for Barcelona, but the various attempts by the blaugrana were blocked over the last few years by Manchester City's inflexible stance and by the importance the former Benfica player had for Pep Guardiola. Now, with the player free to decide his future, the situation has changed significantly.

To make the move to Spain happen, Bernardo Silva is willing to give up a considerable part of the salary he earned in Manchester. The playmaker earned around 16 million euros per season at City, but agreed to reduce his wages by practically half in order to fit into the financial reality of the Catalan club.

Portugal’s proximity and family stability also weighed in the decision. Recently, Bernardo Silva announced that his wife, Inês, is pregnant with their second child, a factor that has brought even closer the possibility of continuing his career in Spain.

Barcelona are preparing an ambitious transfer window and see Bernardo Silva as a golden opportunity to strengthen the squad without any transfer fee. The Catalan board believe that the Portuguese international’s experience and quality could be key in helping the club challenge for the Champions League again, a competition they have not won since 2015.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.