Manchester City ‘categorically reject’ PSG package bid for Bernardo Silva after desperate Jack Grealish plea

Manchester City have rejected a player-plus-cash approach for Bernardo Silva from Paris Saint-Germain, as per reports.

The Portugal international, who scored twice in City’s Champions League semi-final victory over Real Madrid, is believed to be open on taking up a new challenge six years on from joining the seven-time Premier League champions from AS Monaco for £43 million.

It has become a recurring theme for Manchester City to fight to keep hold of Silva, who has been heavily linked with a move elsewhere in the last two years amid interest from the likes of Barcelona and PSG.

City are understood to have set a £70 million price tag for Silva, who played an instrumental role in his side’s historic treble-winning campaign this term, scoring seven times and providing eight assists in 55 outings across all competitions.

PSG, who saw an approach for the Lisbon-born playmaker rejected by Manchester City last summer, are once again set to test the Blues’ resolve to keep hold of Silva, who has two years remaining on his current deal at the Etihad Stadium.

Silva has remained coy on his future in recent months and it remains if a suitor club could persuade the European champions to cash in on one of their best players, more so amid the uncertainty surrounding the future of club captain Ilkay Gundogan.

As per Santi Aouna and Sébastien Denis of Foot Mercato, PSG have proposed the prospect of including either Gianluigi Donnarumma or Marco Verratti as part of a package deal to lower City’s asking price for Bernardo Silva.

However, a player-plus-cash approach has been ‘categorically denied’ by the newly-crowned Champions League winners, who are expected to sit tight on their valuation of Silva, who extended his City contract till 2025 by putting pen to paper in March 2019.

City are understood to have offered an agreeable contract offer to Ilkay Gundogan amid interest from Barcelona, though it is not yet known where Silva sees his long-term future as he enters the prime of his professional career.

Silva’s fellow teammates are keen for the Portuguese to stay put after Jack Grealish, albeit likely under the influence of alcohol, was spotted saying, “Please don’t go,” to Silva en route to City’s treble celebrations on the Manchester Metro Link on Monday.