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According to El Nacional, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is set to 'betray' Barcelona and choose to join Real Madrid instead.
Silva's future at City has been the subject of speculation in recent times, even though the Portuguese ace remains an important player under Pep Guardiola. He has made 31 appearances for the Cityzens across competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing five assists.
Since his move to Manchester from AS Monaco in 2017, Silva has made 282 appearances for the club, scoring 50 goals and providing 56 assists.
He has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona from last summer onwards. However, the deal didn't go through last summer due to the Blaugrana's multiple signings and much-publicized financial issues.
However, the aforementioned report suggests that the player is now keen on a move to Real Madrid. Chairman Florentino Perez and manager Carlo Ancelotti are big admirers of the Portugal international. Considering Silva's quality, he could be a great addition to Los Blancos' team.
He is currently contracted with City until the end of the 2024-25 season.
Real Madrid looking to cover ground on Barcelona in La Liga title race
Real Madrid have fallen behind leaders Barcelona in the race for the La Liga title. They currently trail the Catalan club by eight points.
Los Blancos recently lifted their first trophy of the season by defeating Al Hilal in the Club World Cup final on Saturday, February 11. Speaking after the game, Ancelotti opined that the triumph should give his team motivation for the rest of the season.
He said (via Los Blancos' official website):
"We had a good tournament and we've shown improvement over the last few games. We have a lot of quality up front and we need to improve on some mistakes at the back."
He added:
"We're also going to get players back who have been injured. Karim has returned and Militão and Courtois will be back soon. This title gives us a boost for the rest of the season. We have the desire and the will to do our best in all competitions and in every minute of every game."
Los Blancos will next be in action in the Spanish top-flight against Elche at home on February 15.
