PSG identify Manchester City midfielder as main transfer target

As Paris Saint-Germain prepare for the departure of world champion Lionel Messi, and perhaps even fellow South American Neymar, the work has started in the PSG offices in order to bolster the roster for next season. So much so that Luis Campos has already identified his next transfer target.

According to Le Parisien, PSG have made Manchester City's Portuguese international, Bernardo Silva, their main transfer target to land next summer and ahead of the 2023/24 campaign in order to improve the midfield and the overall performance of the soon-to-be Ligue 1 champions.

Bernardo Silva is having a great season at Manchester City, where he will become a Premier League champion again in a matter of days. He will also fight for the FA Cup having made the final (Man City will face Manchester United.) Additionally, Silva will play for the rights to lift the Champions League in the second leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday (1-1).

At the still-young age of 28, Silva is already playing at the peak of his talents while deployed in different positions in Pep Guardiola's formations. Whether deployed as a right winger, attacking midfielder, or defensive midfielder, he adapts effortlessly and he's proven it for a long time now. That said, he should come to PSG to handle a true midfield position.

PSG's top priority for the upcoming summer transfer window is to revamp their offensive lineup. They are particularly focused on securing a reliable number nine to provide Kylian Mbappe with more freedom and use him on his preferred left-wing position as an inside forward cutting from the sideline to more central places. The club has already identified Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen as potential candidates for this role

This season, Silva has dished out six assists and scored five goals between the Premier League (33 games) and the Champions League (11 games). Although it is impossible to replace Messi completely, the lack of production of the Argentina international (now in clear decline) during the second half of this season should be easy to cover with the arrival of Silva.

On top of his attacking prowess, it must be said that Silva would provide much stronger contributions on defensive transitions, making him a much more capable and impactful player than Messi in PSG's grand scheme. His ability to excel in various roles sets him apart, too, making him an ideal choice for PSG to improve the squad next summer.

PSG reportedly hold a significant advantage over Barcelona in the race for Silva's signature. The French club appears to have more financial resources available, with an estimated transfer fee of €80m. Silva still has two years left on his contract with Man City, giving PSG the advantage in negotiations when it comes to paying more money than other clubs interested in the Portugal international. His agent, Jorge Mendes, maintains close ties with PSG, particularly through Luis Campos, the club's sports advisor.

Silva's potential move to PSG would also allow him to reunite with Kylian Mbappe, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title in 2017 during their time at Monaco. With Messi and possibly Neymar departing, PSG will require a new director in their lineup, and the playmaker role should suit Silva to a tee.

With the departure of Messi and a potential exit for Neymar, PSG aims to secure Silva's services as their new master to lead their attack into the future in the new Mbappe-centered project.