Barcelona 'planning to move for Bernardo Silva next summer'

Barcelona are reportedly preparing a big-money approach for Bernardo Silva next summer, having missed out on the chance to sign the Manchester City attacker during the recent window.

The 28-year-old was strongly linked with the Catalan giants over the summer, but the deadline passed with the playmaker remaining at the Etihad Stadium.

Bernardo has again been an important player for Man City in the early stages of this season, featuring on eight occasions, contributing two goals and two assists in the process.

The Portugal international also still has three years left to run on his contract, but there remains uncertainty surrounding his long-term future in Manchester.

According to Sport, while it became 'impossible' for Barcelona to sign Bernardo over the summer, the club are planning to reignite their interest at the end of the season.

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Man City were allegedly willing to negotiate, but Barcelona had trouble registering their new signings due to their financial issues, and a deal for Bernardo is only believed to have been a possibility had Frenkie de Jong departed.

The La Liga team are said to believe that they were able to successfully put the groundwork in place to allow them to move for him during next summer's transfer window.

Late in the recent market, Barcelona boss Xavi said that he was still "hopeful" a move for the Portuguese would go through before the deadline.

"I am hopeful, of course. But we know it is going to be difficult because there are only a few days left and with the current situation I see it as really difficult," the head coach told reporters.

Meanwhile, Man City boss Pep Guardiola said that Bernardo "likes Barcelona a lot" after the two teams had faced off in a friendly last month.

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"I'm no one to tell Barca to forget about (signing) Bernardo. We want him to stay with us, but I don't want anyone who's not happy. The first thing would be for the clubs to come to an agreement, but there has been no offer for him in these last two years," Guardiola told reporters at the time.

"I don't want him to go, he's a superlative player and a great person... and there are only seven or eight days left (in the window) and we would have to turn to the transfer market. I want him to stay. That said, it is true Bernardo likes Barcelona a lot."

The attacker has won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cup crowns since arriving in Manchester from Monaco in July 2017.

However, he informed Man City in the summer of 2021 that he wanted to leave for personal reasons, with the playmaker believed to be keen to return to Portugal or move to Spain in order to be closer to his family.