Real Madrid table official proposal to sign free-agent Bernardo Silva ahead of Barcelona

Real Madrid have tabled an official proposal to Bernardo Silva, moving to the front of a three-way race that also includes Barcelona and Atletico Madrid for the Portuguese midfielder, who departed Manchester City this summer as a free agent.

Silva, 31, spent nearly a decade at the Etihad Stadium, winning 20 honours under Pep Guardiola and establishing himself as one of the manager’s most trusted players. He had long signalled his intention to let his contract expire before seeking a new challenge, and that moment has now arrived.

Barcelona had for years been considered the most likely destination for the ex-Monaco man, but Real Madrid’s formal approach has shifted the picture. Reports indicate Los Blancos are growing increasingly confident that Silva will agree to move to the Bernabeu. Atletico Madrid remain interested, keeping the situation fluid.

Silva has indicated he will wait until after the 2026 World Cup before confirming his next club, though Real’s early move could force a decision sooner. The Spanish capital giants have already been active in the transfer market this summer, with Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate among those set to join — and the club have also re-appointed Jose Mourinho, who returns for a second spell in charge having previously managed Real between 2010 and 2013.

Silva was visibly emotional on the final day of the Premier League season as he said his goodbyes at the Etihad. “I’m just really proud that I was a part of this fantastic generation,” he said. “This group of people that are just a family for me. The love that we got from these guys — me personally, I doubt I will ever get it again. What we were part of was something truly special and this will forever be my family, my second home.”

Whichever club lands Silva will be getting a player who has won every major honour in English football and has been a cornerstone of one of the most successful club sides of the modern era. The coming weeks, and the conclusion of the World Cup, are likely to determine where his career heads next.