Manchester City star Bernardo Silva could leave the club in January, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

As per a recent Spanish report, Barcelona remain interested in signing the 28-year-old after failing to secure a deal this summer.

The Spanish outlet claim the Catalan giants will need to ‘go all out’ to convince City into sanctioning the sale; something Xavi’s side are reportedly willing to do.

With the Portugal international open to the idea of a move to Barcelona, the Blues are said to value their player at £72m, as his Etihad contract still runs until the summer of 2025.

The Latest: McAvennie’s claim

Amid strong interest from the La Liga outfit, McAvennie can see City sanctioning the move if it is Silva’s wish to do so.

Speaking with Football Insider, the pundit claimed:

“It depends whether he wants to go home or not.

“Maybe he’s had enough of the Premier League and wants to go somewhere that he’s not getting kicked. He’s a wonderful talent and I would hate to see him go because the Prem needs that.

“He’s not going to sell him to another Premier League club, I can’t see that. He loves Man City and he thinks the world of Pep. I could see him going to Spain or Italy, maybe he wants to do that before he retires. It’ll be one of the big clubs that take him.

“He might try to leave in January. He might just feel that he’s been there long enough and he wants to move on and try something new. Pep will understand that."

The Verdict: Would be a huge loss

Having finished last season with the fifth-highest average match rating at City from an impressive 35 Premier League appearances, Silva’s importance to Pep Guardiola’s setup is undeniable.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the attacking midfielder ranks in the top one percent for progressive carries per 90, touches in the attacking penalty area and progressive passes received, in addition to a top two percent rank for non-penalty goals.

Hailed for his ‘world-class’ abilities by journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Silva would be an extremely difficult player for Guardiola to replace.

Therefore, if it is Silva's wish to leave the club in January, this will come as a huge blow to the City squad, with the midfielder paramount to their success.