Pep Guardiola has admitted that Bernardo Silva is interested in a move to Barcelona but has reiterated his desire to keep the Manchester City midfielder at the club.
Silva has been linked with an exit this summer after expressing a desire for a new challenge, with the 28-year-old keen to move closer to his family in Portugal.
Barcelona have been credited with an interest in signing Silva, but face a challenge to facilitate a deal given the club’s financial issues and summer spending.
City drew 3-3 with Barcelona in a thrilling friendly fixture at the Camp Nou on Wednesday evening, in a fixture held to awareness of and funds for research into Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Speaking to the media following the clash, Guardiola reiterated his desire to keep Silva at the club but conceded the midfielder would be tempted by a move to City’s midweek opponents,
“I’m no one to tell Barca to forget about (signing) Bernardo,” Guardiola said, as per Sky Sports.
“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.
“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.”
