Bernardo Silva’s new Manchester City contract includes a low release which has left fan stunned.
The Portugal international has been with City since 2017, having joined from AS Monaco after impressing against Pep Guardiola’s side in the Champions League.
He’s racked up over 300 appearances and won five Premier League titles, as well as one Champions league, two FA Cups and four Carabao Cups.
Year on year Silva has been linked with moves to the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain but has ultimately stayed put with the persuasion of Guardiola.
Last month, the former Benfica man put pen to paper on a contract extension, committing himself to City until 2026 in a big boost for the treble winners.
Silva had said he was “delighted” to extend his deal, though it’s now emerged that the 29-year-old does have a release clause of £50 million.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that the release clause cannot be activated until next summer.
Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo had reported that the clause is for Barcelona, who have signed his former teammates Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo.
However, the reliable Romano claims it is not club-specific.
“As has been reported, I can confirm that there is a clause in Bernardo Silva’s new contract, but details are yet to be confirmed on club and player side,” he told Caught Offside.
“It’s not a specific club clause. But this is something to be discussed in 2024 as Bernardo wanted to extend at City as he really to wants top titles again next year.”
Still, plenty of fans are in disbelief over the cheap fee Silva could potentially move for.
One wrote: “Basically if Barca can find 50m he’ll be gone.”
A second said: “All set to leave next summer. Now he’s signed this extension, journalists won’t ask the same question every week.”
A third added: “£50m? It’s a bargain.”
Another had the same thought, writing: “Just £50m?? We’re activating it next season.”
A fifth user simply stated: “That release clause is made to be broken.”