Barcelona 'to meet Manchester City this week to discuss Bernardo Silva deal'

Barcelona will reportedly meet with Manchester City this week to discuss the possibility of a deal for Bernardo Silva before the end of the transfer window.

The Catalan giants have been strongly linked with the Portugal international over the last few weeks, with the club said to be determined to bring him to Camp Nou.

Bernardo is also believed to be desperate to leave Manchester to make the move to Spain, and according to Spanish journalist Gerard Moreno, there will be a meeting between the two clubs this week.

Moreno claims that an appointment will take place 'in the next few days', and Barcelona are hopeful of agreeing a fee of between €50m (£42.2m) and €60m (£50.7m) with Man City.

Bernardo was not named in the starting XI for Man City's Premier League opener with West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, instead featuring as a late substitute in his side's 2-0 victory at London Stadium.

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The attacker still has three years left to run on his contract in Manchester, but he recently admitted that he does not view his long-term future with the English club.

"I miss Portugal a lot. If I could go back in a year or two, I would. Not only because I would like to play for Benfica again, but because I miss my family and living in Portugal very much," he told Channel 11 earlier this year.

Citizens boss Pep Guardiola said last summer that the 27-year-old wanted to leave the club for personal reasons, but he stayed at Etihad Stadium and was again a key player in 2021-22, scoring 13 goals and registering seven assists in 50 appearances.

Bernardo has won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cup crowns during a highly-successful period at Man City, starring for the club since his move from Monaco in July 2017.

Speaking ahead of last weekend's clash with West Ham, Guardiola refused to rule out the possibility of the Portugal international leaving before the end of the transfer window.

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"I would love for Bernardo to continue here, a very special player in the locker room. But I don't know what will happen. What happens will happen, if he stays is perfect, if he has to leave it's because football is like this," Guardiola told reporters.

"Players have desire and I'm not a person to stop a person's desire in life. Football career is so short. I'm a small part of the club, I have to speak to the club, they decide and I say okay.

"I always say I want the best for the players. I want Bernardo to stay. 100%. But at the same time if you want to leave, have an offer, clubs come to an agreement. Common sense.

"I talk a lot with Bernardo, with all of them, maybe because I'm getting old and we know each other quite well. I'm more relaxed as a manager with them, I know them.

"Their feelings, the good and bad moments. But not about this situation, if I have to tell him something I tell him, but we don't have doubts about the situation. He's happy, engaged, he has a beautiful dog. He's happy here, what will happen will happen."

Despite their financial issues, Barcelona have managed to bring in Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde during a busy summer transfer window.