Bernardo Silva was about to join Barcelona, ​​but Mourinho changed everything

Bernardo Silva was closer to a move to Barcelona than many realized, but a dramatic turn of events with Real Madrid and José Mourinho ultimately changed the course of the transfer. According to SPORT, the Portuguese midfielder was in advanced talks with Barcelona and had even started preparing for life in Catalonia before Mourinho completely reversed the situation.

What initially looked like a simple transition to Camp Nou gradually went haywire, giving Real Madrid the opportunity to get into the race and take control. At one point, those close to the player believed that a move to Barcelona was only a matter of time. In fact, the foundations of an agreement had already been laid and discussions had progressed well beyond the exploratory phase.


The report states that contacts between Barcelona and Bernardo Silva's camp have increased significantly in recent months. Negotiations between sports director Deco and super agent Jorge Mendes are said to have progressed so far that both parties have already discussed the structure of a contract. The proposed agreement would have meant that the midfielder would sign for two seasons, with an option for a third year. In fact, the outlet confirms that Bernardo traveled to Barcelona about a month ago and spoke with tax experts to explore the financial and legal details of what his future contract as a Barcelona player would be.

At that point, confidence around the operation grew as the Portugal international was willing to take a significant salary cut to ease the move. His proposed salary would be close to €6 million per season, significantly less than what he earned at Manchester City. Despite progress in negotiations, Barcelona never considered Bernardo Silva an indispensable priority. Although the club appreciated his quality and experience, there were doubts about his role within Hansi Flick's plans. Remarkably, neither Flick nor Deco could guarantee the midfielder a starting spot, instead making it clear that he had to earn his position through competition.

This uncertainty proved significant because Bernardo, at 31, was not just looking for a new contract. The midfielder himself seemed to suggest this desire during his commitments with Portugal. Discussing his future, Bernardo was quoted by SPORT as saying: "I'm going to the team that loves me the most." The turning point came when José Mourinho took over at Real Madrid. Although Atlético Madrid also explored the possibility of signing Bernardo Silva, their interest never reached the same level as that of Barcelona. However, Real Madrid completely changed the situation. Unlike Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid made Bernardo feel like he was a priority. The project offered a clearer sporting role, stronger support from the coaching staff and improved financial conditions. The most important thing was that it was the Portuguese international exactlygave what he was looking for: a sense of importance. Simply put, Barcelona admired Bernardo Silva, but Real Madrid convinced him.