Bernardo Silva has been strongly linked with a move from Manchester City to Barcelona this summer and he has done little to quell that speculation with his latest comments.
The 28-year-old has been at City since joining from Monaco in 2017, winning four Premier League titles and making 253 appearances in all competitions.
However, Barcelona is interested in bringing Portugal international to Spain and the midfielder schemer is believed to be interested in the switch.
City boss Pep Guardiola has always been clear about how much he admires Silva and wants to keep him at the club, and while the former Benfica man says he is happy with the Premier League champions, he sounds like he fancies the Camp Nou switch.
‘I’ve always said that I’m happy here but I have no idea what’s going to happen,’ Bernardo told ESPN.
‘I’ve been open with them and they know what I want. If I stay, I’m very happy and I will always respect this club and give all my best. If not, it’s football and we’ll just see what happens.
‘It’s a big club and they don’t want players who are not happy at the club. They always say to all of us that if you’re not happy, you can go.
‘Of course, they are in business and they want the right amount of money for letting us go but personally, it’s a relationship with the club that is very respectful.
‘As I said, I will always respect my relationship with Man City, with the fans, with the staff, with my teammates so whatever happens, happens and it for sure will happen in a very respectful way.’
Guardiola said last week: ‘I would love if Bernardo could continue here because he’s a special player for all of us in the locker room, but I don’t know what is going to happen. What will happen is going to happen.
‘If he stays, it is perfect. If in the end, he has to leave it is because football is like this, the clubs have an agreement, the player has the desire and I will not be the reason to stop the desire.
‘When you are a football player your life is so short. You don’t realise and immediately it is over. At the same time. I’m just a little part of the club. What the club decides is ok for me.’
Reports emerged from Spain this week that City had accepted a bid of around £46m for Silva from Barcelona, but the Manchester Evening News states that this is untrue.
