Could Raphinha be the key to Bernardo Silva transfer

The transfer of Bernardo Silva has always seemed a far-fetched idea for Barcelona this summer, but maybe Raphinha could be the key to unlocking a potential deal.

Earlier today it was reported that Manchester City were interested in replacing Riyad Mahrez with the Barcelona winger if Mahrez decided to join the Saudi Arabia side Al-Ahli.

David Ornstein has reported that an agreement has been made for the transfer of Riyad Mahrez, which begs the question, can a swap deal be agreed for Bernardo Silva?

In fact, the report indicated that Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona Director Deco have already had conversations about the transfer.

We know that Bernardo Silva wants Barca and Barca wants Bernardo Silva, so maybe there is a deal to be had here in terms of a potential swap.

Earlier this week it was reported that Manchester City were interested in Frenkie de Jong in a potential transfer deal for Bernardo Silva, but the Dutch midfielder is now seen as largely untouchable in Xavi’s side having enjoyed a career year for the La Liga champions.

Would a Raphinha for Bernardo Silva swap deal make sense for Barcelona?

This is an interesting question. We know that if Barca wants to register a player like Bernardo Silva, they’ll need to lose a marquee player to balance the books in terms of financial fair play.

Raphinha is only a year into his Barca stay, but with the likes of Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and the emerging Abde Ezzalzouli, he could be seen as expendable. Especially if it brings in Bernardo Silva, a player long-admired by Xavi and who would arrive on the back of a treble-winning season with Manchester City.

Silva also offers more versatility than Raphinha considering he can be deployed all over midfield, including in the middle of the park in games where the Catalan giants are expected to dominate possession.

I would hate to lose Raphinha after one year considering he scored 7 and assisted another 7 in his debut season in La Liga. But to get a lot, sometimes you have to give a lot.

In an ideal world, Barca would be able to bring in Silva without subtracting from their strength, but unfortunately, the La Liga regulations made this almost impossible.

Joan Laporta could work a deal for Franck Kessie and Ferran Torres which would allow them to sign someone like Bernardo Silva, but that may prove more difficult than any potential swap deal involving Raphinha.