"They want around €85-90m" - Fabrizio Romano says 27-year-old is Barcelona manager Xavi's 'real obsession'
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has named the Premier League midfielder that Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has a 'real obsession' with.
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has become one of the leading midfielders in European football following numerous excellent seasons under Pep Guardiola. The 27-year-old scored 13 goals and provided seven assists across 50 appearances last season.
Xavi 'sees himself' in Bernardo Silva as a player.
— @mundodeportivo https://t.co/Ajf1VuRqIR
The Portuguese international also started the majority of City's Premier League encounters as they secured their fourth top-flight title in five years.
Silva has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer. However, Romano has claimed that Barcelona would need to pay a huge fee if they were to secure the world-class playmaker. He went on to state that the move would be dependent on Frenkie de Jong's future.
The Italian expert told Wett Freunde:
"And then Xavi's real obsession is Bernado Silva. He's a player he loves. But it depends on the Frenkie de Jong thing. If Frenkie goes to Manchester United, then Bernado can be an option. If not, I think it will be very complicated to find an agreement with Manchester City. They want around €85-90m for Bernado Silva. So not easy negotiations for Barcelona.”
Imagine Bernardo Silva and Pedri together in Barcelona‘s midfield, it will be the best midfield in the world https://t.co/e44QFh78Vn
Fabrizio Romano offers transfer update on Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong
The 25-year-old midfielder has become a key part of Xavi Hernandez's midfield three since the Blaugrana legend became manager in November last year.
However, the Catalonian club are in deep financial trouble. They may have to sell an asset to raise some funds, with Erik ten Hag reportedly keen to bring De Jong to Manchester United. Romano claims:
"At the moment, there is no agreement. So it's certainly not an easy deal. I'm sure Man United will try everything because they believe that signing Frenkie de Jong means more than just signing a fantastic midfielder, more than just signing an important player on the pitch. It will be a message to the market. That's why Man United are obsessed with this transfer."
Romano added:
"It's not easy because Barcelona were pretty clear in the last meeting with Man United. They told them that they will not accept 60 million euros or 70 million euros with bonus payments.”
"They want 86 million euros. That's exactly what they invested in for Frenkie de Jong a few years ago. They want the same money. And another point they need to understand is how much they can reinvest considering La Liga rules."
After selling 3 players, Ajax no longer need to sell which is why they've now put high price tags on Antony, Timber, and Martinez.
This is the price Man Utd will pay for deciding to first sign Frenkie de Jong, instead of pursuing multiple deals simultaneously.