King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - October 29, 2022. Manchester City's Bernardo Silva reacts.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva ‘will not sign’ a new contract as a result of wanting to play for Barcelona, according to BBC radio pundit Kevin Campbell.
The Lowdown: New deal being prepared
The Portuguese ace’s current contract isn’t set to expire until 2025, but in recent transfer windows, he has been heavily linked with a move to Camp Nou.
The Premier League champions are therefore eager to keep him at the Etihad Stadium, with reports claiming that the Sky Blues are set to offer him a fresh bumper deal worth approximately £46m, which would mark a notable increase from his current £150,000-per-week wage.
The Latest: Campbell’s assessment
Asked by Football Insider for his thoughts on where Silva’s future might lie, Campbell said: “At the end of the day, players want a change of lifestyle sometimes. Barcelona is a lovely place and it would be a lovely place to play your football.
“I am not surprised that Man City want to extend his contract. For the last two windows there has been speculation.
“If he wants to go Spain and play in La Liga, he will not be signing a new deal. Man City is a great place to be but sometimes players want a change. He will not sign if he wants to go.
“It is all going to come out in the wash. Bernardo is that good a player he can almost choose wherever he wants.”
The Verdict: Keep hold of him
Silva has been described as City’s ‘heartbeat’ in midfield by Josh Bunting, and Pep Guardiola’s team would be far worse without him, which is why the manager needs to do everything that he can to convince the Portugal star to stay put.
The Lisbon native has made 106 goal contributions in 270 appearances for his current club, with seven of those coming in just 12 league outings this season.
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The 28-year-old is a vital cog in the middle of the park for City, ranking as their fifth-best performer last season according to WhoScored, and it would be a massive coup if he were to put pen to paper and extend his stay at the Etihad.
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