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‘City won’t sell Silva’

Manchester City do not want to sell Bernardo Silva and are not expecting other clubs to bid for the midfielder.

This is despite interest from Barcelona and now, reportedly, Paris Saint-Germain.

A report in The Times on Thursday claimed PSG are lining up an offer of almost £60m for the 28-year-old.

Any proposal would have to be much higher, however, to get City to listen to it seriously.

Until now, neither Silva nor his representatives have told the club he wants out of the Etihad this summer.

City would also need to identify and sign a replacement, with less than two weeks remaining of the transfer window.

The Portugal international has started on the bench in both of Pep Guardiola’s team’s opening victories of the Premier League season so far.

Guardiola said earlier in the summer that he wants Silva to stay but would not stand in the player’s way if he had other ideas.

“What happens will happen,” he said. “And, if he stays, it is perfect.

“In the end, if he has to leave, it is because football is like this; the player has a desire. I will not be a person to stop someone’s desire.

“When you are a player, it is so short; you don’t realise and it’s nearly over.

“The player will have to talk to the club and I have never ever been involved in that.”

Meanwhile, City are unlikely to pursue another left-back before the deadline after signing Sergio Gomez from Anderlecht.

Guardiola said last week that he expects the Spaniard to be their final addition of the summer window.

Guardiola summed up his appreciation for Silva late last year: “He is the best. He has a special ability to do whatever he wants with the ball.”

The Portuguese was enjoying a purple patch in front of goal at the time, but the 27-year-old offers so much more than attacking abilities – but let’s start there.

Silva ranked second at City for goals from open play, creating chances, completing passes in the final third and attempting dribbles in the Premier League last season. – Sky Sports

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