Ligue 1 giants PSG are reportedly planning to make Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva the latest star player to move to the French capital.
According to French media outlet Le 10 Sport, Silva is a player that Les Parisiens have been tracking for quite some time. They had initially wanted the Portugal international last summer, however, he decided to stay at Manchester City.
Now, though, Bernardo is apparently open to a change of scenery. In January, the Portugal star said that he would consider leaving the Etihad for a “new project”, per Goal. So, the door is ajar for Paris Saint-Germain to go and get him – and they want Bernardo in their ranks.
A further boost to PSG’s ambitions is the turmoil happening behind the scenes at the Etihad. Following the Premier League’s reporting of alleged FFP breaches, City may see numerous players wanting to leave.
Read: Man City release statement responding to alleged Premier League FFP breaches
Bernardo has featured in all but one of Man City’s Premier League games so far this season. Although he has appeared from the substitute’s bench in three of the last four matches in all competitions.
Should he decide to go to Le Parc des Princes, Bernardo Silva would link up with a certain former Monaco teammate.
Bernardo Silva could rekindle Mbappe link-up at PSG
PSG’s current sporting director, Luis Campos, is a big fan of Bernardo ever since the pair’s days at Monaco. To add to this, Le 10 Sport also claims that Kylian Mbappe wants to play alongside his former teammate once more.
Whilst playing together in the principality, Mbappe and Silva led Monaco to a brilliant 2016/17 season. They thwarted PSG’s stranglehold on Ligue 1 by claiming the title that year. The club also enjoyed a memorable run in the Champions League, where they reached the semi-finals.
Sadly, their success also led to their disbanding. Monaco cashed in on the stars that had spearheaded their revival; for instance, Mbappe joined PSG in an absolutely market-shattering move.
Meanwhile, Bernardo went to Man City in a £43 million transfer.
Campos, now at PSG after leaving Monaco, wants to bring Bernardo’s energy to Paris. Here he would provide the tempo and quality that can reinvigorate the Paris midfield. Unfortunately, Campos will face some stiff competition from other European giants…
Barcelona not giving up on Bernardo yet
Despite their various economic “levers” and constraints, Barcelona are still in the market for Silva. The Man City midfielder spent most of last summer linked to the Catalan giants, but a move never materialised.
Similarly, in January 2023, Barca ruled themselves out of a move for Bernardo in that window. They balked at the £70 million price tag that City placed on their player, saying “we will not pay them”. Fair enough.
The upcoming summer window could tell a different story, though. With prize money in their pockets, plus some other squad changes, the Blaugrana could become a viable option for Bernardo.
For now, it appears that 2022/23 may be the last campaign that the 28-year-old completes in a Man City shirt.
Featured image credit: Getty
