Guardiola admits he was afraid of losing Barcelona midfield target in the summer

Barcelona managed to successfully fortify an array of positions in the summer transfer window following the domestic triumph in La Liga.

However, despite the arrival of some big names such as Joao Cancelo, Joao Felix, and Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva remained an idealistic ambition of the Blaugrana coaching staff throughout the window.

The midfield maestro was linked incessantly to Barcelona, with the player eager to join forces too, but the Catalans’ frail financial state meant the signing eventually failed to come to fruition.

Now, continuing to shine in Manchester City, his manager Pep Guardiola, via Mundo Deportivo has claimed he feared losing his crown jewel in midfield amid interest from foreign clubs, including Barcelona.

Guardiola reaffirms rumours

After producing a masterclass against Manchester United in the Premier League, Guardiola stated:

“We were afraid of losing Bernardo Silva last summer. “He is an irreplaceable footballer.”

Further praising his performance, the Manchester City coach exemplified why he remains a top asset in world football.

“I could talk for ten minutes about how Bernardo is doing in our team. He is more than good in all aspects,”, he said.

PSG were one of the teams vying for Bernardo’s signature, while Barcelona also maintained significant interest.

But Barça only viewed the potential signing of Bernardo through rose-tinted lenses, with the Portuguese remaining a pipedream due to his hefty €80 million price tag.

Eventually, the 28-year-old penned a new deal with the Cityzens until 2026.

Owing to Silva’s renewal until 2026, any chances of a move to Barcelona next year have also taken a hit, as it would take a monumental fee to lure him away from the Etihad Stadium.

Although Bernardo has always been an avid admirer of the Blaugrana colors, the emergence of so many midfield stars in Catalonia also lessens the possibility of his arrival later down the line.