“It is not a deal that Barcelona are going to find easy to get away” – Paul Robinson believes Xavi will find it hard to sign transfer target

It is an open secret that Barcelona manager Xavier Hernandez is interested in adding Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva to his squad this summer. But former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has warned that the Catalan giants will find it tough to get their hands on the Portuguese.

Bernardo Silva was one of the top performers for Manchester City last season, contributing 13 goals and 17 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions. Given his brilliant level of performance at the moment, Paul Robinson believes it'd take a massive bid to convince Pep Guardiola to let go of the midfielder.

“Bernardo Silva was unbelievable in the first half of last season,” the Englishman told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs.

“It would have to be a big bid to get him out of Man City. We have heard what Pep Guardiola thinks about him."

It is believed that Silva isn't opposed to a switch to Camp Nou but not much can be said of Barca's financial capacity at the moment owing to their ongoing economic crisis. While Paul Robinson admits the Catalan giants still have the ability to attract top players, the Englishman is unsure whether they've got the financial firepower to sign the Portuguese.

“It is not a deal that Barcelona are going to find easy to get away. Barcelona are no longer a financial superpower," he continued.

“Of course, they still have that pulling power though because they are one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

“The finances are a problem though. If they go knocking at City’s door, the deal would have to be right.

“It would be very difficult for them to pull it off even though they have the lure of being Barcelona,” he added.

Bernardo Silva in action for Manchester City during a Premier League game last season.

Who else could Barcelona sign for Xavi this summer?

The Catalan giants are looking to strengthen their squad ahead of next season as they look to knock Real Madrid off the summit of Spanish football and also compete in Europe.

In addition to Bernardo Silva, the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Cesar Azpilicueta have been linked with the Blaugrana. It will be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming weeks.