Manchester City are expected to receive an approach from Barcelona for Bernardo Silva in the 'next few days', according to Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness).
The lowdown
The Athletic reported on Monday that City are standing in firm in a €100million (£84.1million) valuation for fan favourite Bernardo, who has three years left on his contract after penning an extension back in 2019.
Personal terms shouldn't be an issue if a bid is accepted however, with the Portuguese maestro having already agreed a four-year deal in principle.
The latest
Major Spanish outlet Sport reported on Sunday (via SW) that Pep Guardiola has left Bernardo on the bench for his side's first two matches because he could be leaving 'very soon'.
Silva was the last to leave the field after Saturday's 4-0 victory over Bournemouth, and this has been viewed as him bidding 'farewell'.
In a further update on Monday, they now claim that Barcelona will 'initiate contact' with the reigning Premier League champions imminently, specifically the next 72 hours
They plan to lower their wage bill to create space for Bernardo, and then make their move.
The verdict
Losing such a talented and versatile cog in Pep's machine would be a big blow to City's chances of retaining the Premier League title. His collection of individual honours proves that he's one of their best players.
He made the PFA Team of the Year in 2018/19 and 2021/22 in recognition of his key contribution to City's title-winning campaigns. And the 28-year-old has also earned a nomination for this year's Ballon D'Or.
The problem, however, is that he wants to leave the club, and Guardiola may be reluctant to keep a player who is seemingly dreaming of playing elsewhere.