FC Barcelona wants to open to talks to seal the signing of a Manchester City player according to … [+]
FC Barcelona has told Manchester City it wants to open talks regarding the signing of a player owned by the Premier
PINC
Earlier this week, SPORT‘s rival publication Mundo Deportivo reported that City midfielder Bernardo Silva wishes to leave his employers and join the Catalans.
In an interview with Jijantes on the same day, Silva’s Portugal teammate Joao Felix revealed that the 29-year-old has asked him about life in the city where the Atletico Madrid loanee currently plies his trade.
“His sister-in-law is here, [he’s asked me] about how things are here, the weather, tax issues… I told him it’s all right for him to come,” the winger revealed.
As is often the case with Barca’s dealings in the transfer market, however, a potential move won’t be as simple as Felix implied.
Nor will it be when attempting to make his own loan deal from Atletico Madrid permanent either.
On the other hand, however, Barca already wants to open talks with City on buying Joao Cancelo outright according to SPORT.
Cancelo arrived at the Montjuic Stadium on the same day as Felix last August, and should be far more affordable than the $76 million (€70 million) quoted by Atleti for a star they paid almost double to land when agreeing to buy him from Benfica for $137 million in 2019 (€127 million).
City initially wanted $43 million (€40 million) for the right back, but, through agent Jorge Mendes, they will try to push the Champions League holders to accept something lower with variables or ideally another loan that comes with an option to buy.
Saudi Arabia is also interested in Cancelo along with other clubs from England and beyond.
Yet Cancelo will reportedly reject any other offers in order to stay at a club where he has found happiness after a falling out with City manager Pep Guardiola and the completion of an unsuccessful temporary assignment at Bayern Munich.
SPORT explains that Barca told Cancelo about their plans for him in February, which entail the 29-year-old penning a deal that runs until mid-2027 and the Blaugrana nailing down a natural right back at long last.
