Ex-Barcelona director Toni Freixa has accused Barcelona of “blatantly selling smoke” in their reported pursuit of Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva.
He claims the club are using such links with the midfielder - as well as with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde - to appease fans amid their financial difficulties. Barcelona are thought to have debts totalling £1bn.
As a result, they have been hit by La Liga’s financial rules and so are supposedly looking to offload players in order to manoeuvre in the transfer market. The club’s well-documented money issues saw Lionel Messi leave for Paris Saint-Germain last summer as they were forced to recruit either low-cost or free signings.
