Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez would reportedly rather have Manchester City star Bernardo Silva in his midfield ahead of Frenkie de Jong, amid ongoing speculation over the pair's futures.
Silva has hinted at a farewell from the Premier League champions amid ongoing interest from the Catalan giants and he could be a direct replacement for the Dutch international should he leave the Camp Nou in the closing weeks of the transfer window.
De Jong is the subject of a fresh approach from Manchester United while Barca's treatment of him – demanding he reduce his salary by half or leave the club – has been slammed as like the "mafia" by former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart.
