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Pep Guardiola is adamant Bernardo Silva will stay at Manchester City beyond the end of transfer window, as he revealed the club are yet to receive a formal offer for the versatile midfielder.
Silva had been strongly linked with a move to LaLiga giants Barcelona after stating that City “know what I want” earlier this month.
However, recent reports suggested Paris Saint-Germain had made a £59million (€69.7m) bid for the 28-year-old, who scored the equaliser in City’s 3-3 draw at Newcastle United last Sunday.
Silva impressed as he scored 13 goals and added seven assists in 50 appearances for City last season, and Guardiola did little to play down talk of a move when he revealed the midfielder “likes Barcelona very much” this week.
But speaking ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Crystal Palace, Guardiola offered his clearest declaration yet on Silva’s future, insisting: “He will stay here, absolutely.
“We didn’t have any phone calls from any club regarding Bernardo Silva. That’s why he will stay.”
Asked whether any late move for Silva would leave City in a difficult position as they attempted to source a replacement, Guardiola said: “Yeah, but I tell you, he will stay.”
City have added Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Sergio Gomez and Stefan Ortega to their squad since winning their fourth Premier League title in five years in May, while Julian Alvarez has arrived from River Plate, and Guardiola is more than happy with their business.
“I am always satisfied,” he declared. “Now I start my seventh year [at the club]. I am always satisfied with the squad I have. I have no complaints.”
Meanwhile, marquee signing Haaland, who has found the net three times in his first three Premier League outings, is set to return to former club Borussia Dortmund after City were drawn to face the Bundesliga outfit in the Champions League group stages.
City will also face Sevilla and Copenhagen when their continental campaign kicks off, and Guardiola says he is yet to discuss the trip to Dortmund with Haaland, adding: “I didn’t speak with him, but I guess he will be happy to go back where he was so important.
“The draw is the draw, it is what it is. We don’t have much time, but we have time to start to know them more deeply, and hopefully we can go through.”
