St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - August 21, 2022. Manchester City's Bernardo Silva celebrates scoring.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has his heart ‘set on leaving’ the Premier League champions, according to BBC radio pundit Kevin Campbell.
The Lowdown: Meeting scheduled
The Portuguese magician still has just over two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, but he has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in recent transfer windows to be nearer to his homeland.
Sky Blues chiefs are set to hold a meeting with the 28-year-old during the World Cup break to discuss his future and discover his intentions moving forward, with a decision then set to be made as to whether they tie him down to a new deal or let him go.
The Latest: Campbell’s “ominous” prediction
Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell claimed that City will need to pull out all the stops during negotiations with Silva if they are to have any chance of keeping him.
The former Arsenal striker said: “Bernardo Silva has been instrumental in what City have done. But it’s Barcelona. In my opinion, it will be a big draw for him.
“If Man City are to keep him around, they’re going to have to really move the goalposts and make him feel special.
“But if they wanted to keep him – why not get this contract sorted out before? This rumour has been going around for the last 18 months. I think that lack of action is pretty ominous.
“He’s been sensational for City and for the Premier League, but I think his heart is set on leaving.”
The Verdict: Don’t let him go
Pep Guardiola will know how important Silva is to City, and even the thought of losing his presence in the team is a massive blow.
The Lisbon native has posted a remarkable 106 goal contributions in just 273 appearances for the club, and his versatility to operate anywhere across the midfield and on the flank is an added bonus (Transfermarkt).
City fans: Sell or keep Silva in January?
Sell
Keep
Should Barcelona come calling, City could find it difficult to convince him to stay, but it’s essential that they do everything they can to try and keep hold of him.
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