Man City ‘make improved contract offer to Bernardo Silva’ to quell Saudi curiosity

Manchester City are reportedly making a late move to convince Bernardo Silva to increase his participation.

Silva featured for the Sky Blues last season as City secured a historic Treble with the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup triumphs, but relegation is believed to be possible.

The wealth of Saudi Arabia has fueled Silva’s curiosity as he is in a contract that will see him earn more than £75m a season, with Al Hilal doing all they can to bring the winger to the Kingdom.

The oil-rich nation has already signed some of Europe’s biggest names, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante joining the Saudi Arabian Pro League 12 months so far.

While City, unable to match Saudi Arabia’s big money, have handed Silva a brand new and improved deal in an attempt to convince the player to stay in England in response to Time.

Silva has two years left on his current contract, meaning City could pay for a move for the Treble-winning star, however the club appear keen to fend off any golf outfit willing to open talks.

The English champions are not usually strapped for cash, and if Silva quits he would become the main European celebrity to head to the Middle East at the top of his profession.

Jamie Carragher has warned that if Silva moves it could change Saudi football, tweeting: “Bernardo Silva is in his prime and has been one of the best players in Europe for the last five years!”

“I wasn’t worried about the Saudi league taking in 30-year-old players, a bit worried about the sub-elite players (Ruben Neves), but when it happens it feels like a game changer.

The 28-year-old is well-loved by Manchester City and has played a vital role in the club’s dominant success in recent seasons.

He started 24 of his 34 Premier League games and was influential in the Champions League, scoring decisive goals in the quarter-finals and semi-finals against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively.

Guardiola is keen to keep Silva and described him as “irreplaceable” at the end of the season.

“I am happy that Bernardo has become a winner,” said Guardiola. “Obviously, the highlights will come from Erling. But you can’t forget what Bernardo did, scoring in the second half and putting it on the right wing.

What amazes me about Bernardo is that when the game goes wrong he takes a step forward, he likes to play in that situation. He is comfortable with it,” he stated.

“Some players can step back and he takes a step forward. So in many ways he is irreplaceable for us…”