Reports indicate that Manchester City is aiming to include one of their players in a trade with Barcelona as they pursue Frenkie de Jong, a long-time target for Manchester United.
Since Pep Guardiola took over at City, several players have transferred between the clubs, reflecting his strong connection to his former team. Recently, players like Joao Cancelo, Sergio Aguero, Ferran Torres, and Ilkay Gundogan have moved from City to Barcelona.
Barcelona is reportedly very interested in Bernardo Silva and has explored ways to bring him to Camp Nou, according to TEAMtalk.
The Portuguese international remains an essential part of Man City’s lineup, though there are rumors he might be ready for a new challenge.
Silva, now 29, has a £50 million release clause in his contract, and Paris Saint-Germain is also interested in him this summer.
However, due to their ongoing financial issues, Barcelona may struggle to meet that amount, making a swap offer from Man City more appealing.
Football365 reports that City has “offered” Silva, along with a cash payment, for Barcelona’s De Jong, based on sources from Spain.
Guardiola is reportedly “very interested” in De Jong, with City joining PSG, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich as potential suitors.
Erik ten Hag made De Jong one of his top priorities when he joined Manchester United, but a deal ultimately fell through. Guardiola, meanwhile, hopes to pair Rodri with a high-quality midfield partner.
Though Barcelona was previously resistant to selling De Jong, they may now be open to a deal if it helps fund multiple reinforcements. However, they still seek €90 million (around £76.6 million) for the Dutch midfielder, a price too high for many interested clubs.
To acquire De Jong, Man City is reportedly willing to offer €30 million (around £25.5 million) plus Silva, bringing the total value of their offer to approximately £75.5 million when factoring in Silva’s release clause.
