FC Barcelona wants Bernardo Silva. They just don’t want him at any price.
The Catalan club’s sporting director Deco has formally rejected a combined €40 million salary package demanded by Silva and his agent Jorge Mendes. The proposal broke down into three parts: a €20 million gross annual salary, a €10 million signing bonus, and €10 million in commissions for Mendes. Barcelona deemed the terms incompatible with its financial recovery plan and La Liga’s salary cap regulations.
The numbers behind the rejection
Manchester City’s 31-year-old midfielder is approaching the final year of his contract, which expires in summer 2026. That makes him a free agent target, meaning Barcelona wouldn’t need to pay a cent to City.
Silva’s camp initially signaled a willingness to accept a pay cut to join Barcelona. Interest from Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid reportedly entered the picture, giving Mendes leverage to ratchet up demands.
