Should the club's star midfielder Bernardo Silva decide to depart this summer, Manchester City has reportedly found a potential replacement.
Since joining the Etihad club in the summer of 2017 for a rumored fee of €50 million, Silva has developed into a crucial part of Pep Guardiola's team.
The 27-year-old joined City as a winger and attacking midfielder who excelled in the box, but he has since developed into an excellent box-to-box midfielder with a reputation for having a lot of energy.
Silva has been linked with a move away from City for a while despite being so crucial to their recent domestic success; most rumors indicate that the Portugal international wants to move to Spain, which is closer to his home.
Bernardo Silva at the Manchester City championship party (image)
Barcelona, a powerhouse in La Liga, was reportedly very interested in signing Silva, but City's rumored asking price of at least €80 million has priced the Catalan club out of any deal.
Silva's very public desire to move on, though, means that the Premier League winners will have to prepare for the inevitable possibility that he may leave the team in the near future.
As a result, City has started to prepare a list of possible successors for the star midfielder.
Lucas Paqueta of Olympique Lyonnais is being considered by City, according to L'Equipe, as a potential addition if and when Silva departs the team.
After a poor stint with AC Milan, the Brazilian has made an impression since joining the Ligue 1 team in 2020. Paqueta has subsequently made 76 appearances for the Groupama team, scoring 20 goals and dishing out 13 assists.
According to the French publication's claim, Paqueta has consented to leave the team in the event that Lyon president Jean Michael-Aulus decides to sell one of his most valued possessions.
For Lyon, Lucas Paqueta in action (image)
However, Lyon presently holds the record for the club with the transfer of Tanguay Ndombele to Tottenham Hotspur for €60 million, and Michael-Aulus may be eager to surpass that mark with the sale of Paqueta.
Paqueta is in the stage of his career City like for its signings at the age of 24, with lots of room to grow.
It will be difficult to replace a player as important as Silva, even for a team like the Etihad club, which excels in recruitment.
His recent performances have further cemented his place among the top midfielders in Europe.
The Portuguese international was selected for the PFA Team of the Year for 2021/22 along with several other City stars.
His impact on Guardiola's team cannot be understated after turning up with some significant goals, especially around Christmas.
Barcelona's keen interest in Silva should come as no surprise, but finalizing any trade would be extremely challenging.
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