Bernardo Silva’s €55M Demand Ends Galatasaray Pursuit as Atlético Madrid Move Edges Closer

Galatasaray have withdrawn from their pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva after the Portuguese international’s financial demands proved too steep for the Istanbul club to accommodate, according to reports from Turkish outlet Superhaber.

Silva, 31, will become a free agent at the end of the current season when his contract at the Etihad Stadium expires. The recently crowned Süper Lig champions had identified the versatile playmaker as a high-profile addition to their squad, hoping to engineer a deal similar to their recruitment of Silva’s former Manchester City teammate İlkay Gündoğan on a free transfer.

However, initial talks broke down rapidly after Silva reportedly put forward a total package worth €55 million — encompassing signing bonuses across a proposed three-year contract. That figure translates to an annual salary in excess of €18 million, a sum Galatasaray’s hierarchy is said to have deemed financially unworkable.

The sticking point, according to reports, was that Silva’s demands would place him in the same earnings bracket as Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, who currently represents the club’s most significant wage commitment. Osimhen earns approximately €21 million per year in Turkey under a structured arrangement: Galatasaray pay €15 million directly, with a further €6 million generated through image rights agreements. With Gündoğan already on the books, club officials were reportedly unwilling to take on another salary of comparable scale alongside those two existing commitments.

Galatasaray’s decision to step back from the Silva pursuit reflects the financial balancing act facing even the most ambitious clubs in Turkey’s top flight. The Süper Lig, while increasingly attractive to high-profile European players, operates under different financial constraints compared to the elite leagues of western Europe. The club’s successful model of landing experienced, high-quality players from major leagues — Osimhen arrived on loan from Napoli before his move was made permanent, while Gündoğan joined following his departure from City — has limits when player demands exceed what the wage structure can sustain.

With Galatasaray out of the picture, attention has shifted to where Silva will continue his career. Reports suggest the former Porto and Benfica academy product is in advanced discussions over a move to La Liga, with Atlético Madrid understood to have a 2+1 year contract in the works under manager Diego Simeone. A move to the Spanish capital would represent a significant chapter for a player who has won six Premier League titles during his time at Manchester City, forming a central part of Pep Guardiola’s dominant squads over the past decade.

Silva has made over 350 appearances for Manchester City since joining from Monaco in 2017, contributing consistently across multiple title-winning campaigns. His exit this summer marks the end of a significant era for the club, coming amid a broader transition period at the Etihad following years of domestic and European success.

Atlético Madrid have historically recruited experienced midfielders capable of operating in high-pressure systems, and Simeone’s interest in Silva aligns with that pattern. No official announcement from either club has been made at this stage, and the deal remains unconfirmed.