Bernardo Silva transfer latest: Man City legend ready to make Barcelona ‘U-turn’ amid Atletico, Real Madrid links

Barcelona appear to have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva on a free transfer this summer.

The 31-year-old is on the lookout for a new club, as he will be ending his trophy-laden nine-year association with Manchester City when his contract expires on June 30.

Several European clubs and some further afield have been credited with an interest in Bernardo, who will decide his future after the 2026 World Cup, as confirmed by his agent Jorge Mendes.

Reports earlier this year claimed that Bernardo’s preference was to join Barcelona, with TEAMtalk stating that he had reached an agreement with the La Liga champions.

However, it is understood that the midfielder has performed a U-turn on his decision and is still assessing his options before committing to his next club.

Bernardo still weighing up his options despite strong Barca interest

Speaking about his future last weekend, Bernardo told reporters: “Barcelona is one of the options, but I’ve not made any final decision yet There are many options and I have respect for all interested clubs”.

“In the end I'm going to try to find a team where they want me, where I feel they really love me. That is very important and the day I make my decision they will know”.

Meanwhile, Bernardo recently told Hello Magazine that he probably knows which country he will go to next in his career, “but I haven't decided which team yet".

TEAMtalk claims that Bernardo held talks with Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick shortly before making those public remarks, and he remains attracted by the prospect of playing for the Catalan giants.

However, the midfielder is said to have some concerns over whether he would be viewed as a guaranteed starter at Camp Nou, with Barca yet to offer such assurances.

Flick already has a plethora of talented midfield options at his disposal, with Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, Marc Casado and Marc Bernal all battling for starts.

Atletico, Real Madrid remain in race for Barca-linked Bernardo

Uncertainty over the future of Bernardo has opened the door for other clubs to rival Barcelona for his signature, including Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

Sources claim that Atletico remain confident they can win the race for Bernardo and offer him a prominent role in Diego Simeone’s project.

It is also understood that Real Madrid’s new head coach Jose Mourinho is fully behind the idea of bringing Bernardo to the Bernabeu, having already given the green light for Los Blancos to sign Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries.

Clubs in the Middle East and MLS are also believed to be keeping tabs on Bernardo, but the midfielder still feels that he has more to offer at the highest possible level and La Liga is still thought to be his preferred destination.

At Man City, Bernardo earned legendary status and established himself as one of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted figures, playing 460 times across all competitions and winning 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League.