Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says Barcelona target Bernardo Silva negotiated a release clause into his new Manchester City contract.

Silva’s old deal was set to expire in 2025 and to give himself and the Premier League champions more security, he signed a one-year extension.

“I’ve had six incredible years at Manchester City and I’m delighted to extend my time here,” Silva said in City’s contract announcement.

“I am going into my seventh season at City. Since I arrived, I can only remember one season where we weren’t successful, so to be here until now meant trophies, meant winning a lot and I like to win. It is good to win.

“It is not easy to be a winning team. It is a very good feeling and I wanted to keep it that way.”

Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have very interested in signing the Portuguese international and his new deal is not expected to end their interest and admiration.

It has been reported that Silva included a ‘Barcelona clause’ in his new contract.

Indeed, Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo says there is a £50million release clause in the player’s contract that can only be triggered by the La Liga champions.

It is fair to brush off this sort of report and Romano has chimed in, revealing that City did include a release clause in Silva’s new deal.

However, the Italian journalist says the clause is not relevant to a ‘specific club’, meaning talk of a ‘Barcelona clause’ is false.

Writing for CaughtOffside, Romano said: ‘As has been reported, I can confirm that there is a clause in Bernardo Silva’s new contract, but details are yet to be confirmed on club and player side.

‘It’s not a specific club clause. But this is something to be discussed in 2024 as Bernardo wanted to extend at City as he really to wants top titles again next year.’

Silva has been a huge player for Pep Guardiola since joining the Cityzens from AS Monaco in July 2017.

Arguably the best dribbler in the league, the 29-year-old can operate in the middle or on the right flank and now has 55 goals and 59 assists in 310 appearances for the English club.

The former Monaco playmaker has won the Champions League, five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and two Community Shields during a memorable career at the Etihad.

Furthermore, he was named Portugal’s Footballer of the Year in 2019. What a player. He is, dare I say…a little bit underrated.