Barcelona appear set to miss out on one of the most experienced players available on the market this summer, with Mundo Deportivo claiming that Bernardo Silva has already chosen his next destination.
The Portuguese midfielder is expected to leave Manchester City after years of success in England, immediately making him one of the most attractive opportunities in European football.
Several clubs have been linked with him in recent months, including Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan.
Atletico Madrid win the race
As such, according to reports, the Portuguese veteran has now decided to continue his career with Atletico de Madrid instead.
The Spanish side has moved quickly and convinced the experienced midfielder to choose their project ahead of other interested clubs.
Bernardo Silva has decided to join Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
The development comes despite Barcelona having explored the possibility of bringing the Portuguese international to Camp Nou earlier in the year.
His availability on a free transfer naturally made him an attractive market opportunity, especially considering his quality, versatility and experience at the highest level.
Still, inside Barcelona, there was never complete certainty about fully committing to the operation.
Barcelona have other priorities
While Bernardo has long been admired by figures within Barcelona, the club’s sporting department decided that other areas of the squad require greater attention.
The Catalan side are currently more focused on improving their attacking options and reinforcing defensive positions rather than adding another central midfielder.
Bernardo was not Barcelona’s priority. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
That decision ultimately reduced the chances of a serious move for Bernardo despite his impressive profile.
Barcelona already possess several midfield options capable of operating in advanced and creative roles, and the feeling within the club is that better balance needs strengthening elsewhere first.
Financial considerations also continue to play a major role in every transfer decision at Camp Nou.
Even when a player is available without a transfer fee, wages, bonuses and long-term planning remain extremely important factors.
Because of that, Barcelona gradually stepped away from the race while Atletico Madrid increased their efforts to secure the signing.