Manchester City are determined to keep hold of midfielder Bernardo Silva, according to The Athletic.
Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal have made an approach to sign the 28-year-old but the treble winners have slapped a sky-high price tag on the player to ensure he doesn’t leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.
It is believed that the Citizens have “used” the record fee for a British player that Arsenal paid to sign Declan Rice as a “benchmark” in talks with Al-Hilal.
The intention is to scare off potential suitors for Silva, as they are keen on keeping him at the club next season to play an important role in midfield.
Following the departure of captain Ilkay Gundogan, Silva is seen as the right player to step into the German’s shoes, without the club having to go into the transfer market for a replacement.
While City have recruited Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea, the 29-year-0ld is expected to play in deeper positions.
City are prioritising a move for a centre-back
While some fans still think that City are leaving themselves short in midfield following the departure of Gundogan, Pep Guardiola’s side appear to be focused on strengthening another position in the squad.
The Premier League champions are thought to be still locked in talks to sign Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig. Negotiations have been long and drawn out but progress has been made.
The Bundesliga side have recently signed El Chadaille Bitshiabu from Paris Saint-Germain, with many believing that he will be the Croatian international’s replacement.
Reports also suggest that City have reached an agreement on the add-ons they will pay for Gvardiol but there is still work to be done on the final fee. Leipzig want €100m (£86m) upfront, which isn’t a figure that the Citizens are prepared to match at the moment.
