Bernardo Silva has finally decided to join Real Madrid, even though an agreement seemed close with Atlético de Madrid just hours earlier. Meanwhile, FC Barcelona ended discussions, refusing to match a financial bidding war.
This saga, closely followed at the start of the transfer window, reached its conclusion just before the World Cup kicked off. According to Fussball Transfers, the 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder, whose contract with Manchester City is expiring, has agreed to a two-year deal with Real Madrid, with an additional year as an option. Just hours before, he had already confirmed a commitment to Atlético Madrid.
According to Cadena SER, the player was set to announce his arrival at Atlético after several weeks of advanced negotiations. A signing was even expected directly from his national team’s camp on Thursday morning. At that point, Bernardo Silva was seen as the ideal successor to Antoine Griezmann in the Madrid project.
However, the situation shifted with José Mourinho’s intervention. The Portuguese coach, recently confirmed as head of Real Madrid, played a crucial role in convincing his compatriot to join the Casa Blanca. Before that, he had directly asked Florentino Pérez to speed up the process, considering the player a priority, alongside Ibrahima Konaté.
The presence of Jorge Mendes, the player’s agent, also smoothed discussions, as the interests of the different parties quickly aligned. On the salary front, the player’s demands were met without major issues by the Madrid management.
FC Barcelona, once in a favorable position, withdrew from negotiations. The Catalan club did not see the recruitment of a midfielder as a priority, preferring to avoid getting into a prolonged bidding war.
Finally, a recent statement from the player was seen as an indirect message to Barça. He said, “I will try to be in a team where they love me, where I feel they really want me.” This stance may have contributed to cooling relations between the two parties.
In the end, between the prestige of the Madrid project, the influence of the new coach, and the market dynamics, Bernardo Silva chose Real Madrid.
