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Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is currently the subject of transfer interest from Spanish giants Barcelona this summer.
The Portuguese player recently stated that the Cityzens are aware of his decision to possibly join Barcelona this summer, as reported by Marca.
Should a deal eventually be struck between the two clubs, Silva could join a long list of players who have been brought in by Barcelona.
However, that could be a major blow for Pep Guardiola's team this season, as they have also lost a couple of top players already this summer.
The likes of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Oleksandr Zinchenko have left the Etihad Stadium for other clubs.
As such, losing Silva could create a big vacuum for the Manchester City team. The Portuguese midfielder has scored 48 goals and provided 50 assists in 251 games for the Cityzens.
His versatility has also been key for Guardiola's team as the Portuguese has been used in a handful of positions across midfield and attack.
While it is still not certain as to whether or not he will leave, reports according to Sky Sports suggest that Guardiola won't stand in Silva's way.
His possible departure could force Manchester City into finding a suitable replacement for the Portuguese. As such, this article will look at three players the Cityzens could target to replace Silva.
#3 Florian Wirtz
One player who could be a decent replacement for Portuguese playmaker Silva this summer is German wonderkid Florian Wirtz
The 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is one of the top prospects in Europe and could go on to dominate world football under Guardiola.
Wirtz is a top technical midfielder who is good at creating chances for his teammates as well as using both feet. He scored a total of 10 goals and provided 14 assists in 31 games for Bayer Leverkusen last season, across competitions.
The German also scored a combined total of eight goals and eight assists during the 2020-21 football campaign. His versatility could be a big weapon for Guardiola as he can play both in midfield and on the wings.
#2 Nabil Fekir
The French player is another top creative talent whom Manchester City could consider to replace Silva should he join Barcelona.
Nabil Fekir came really close to playing in England, after a £53 million move to Liverpool collapsed in the final stages. At age 29, the player could get another chance but this time at Manchester City.
Fekir is very much known for his creativity and technical ability on the ball, which could be a boost for Guardiola's team this season.
The French playmaker scored a total of 10 goals and provided 10 assists for Real Betis during the 2021-22 football campaign, across competitions.
Fekir has also scored a combined career total of 91 goals and registered 69 assists for both Lyon and Real Betis.
#1 Lucas Paqueta
Considering the fact that Manchester City signed Silva from Ligue one, it wouldn't be out of place to revisit the same league for his replacement.
As such, one player who is currently a top prospect in the French Ligue 1 and could possibly replace Silva is Lyon's Lucas Paqueta.
The 24-year-old Brazilian forward is very versatile and combines elegance with flair and a touch of technicality on the ball. He is also left-footed just like Silva at Manchester City
Paqueta scored a total of 11 goals and provided seven assists for Lyon in the 2021-22 football campaign, across competitions. He also boasts a total of 20 goals and 13 assists for the French club since joining in 2020.
The Brazilian is also as versatile as Silva and can operate in a handful of positions. Paqueta can play in central-midfield, attacking-midfield, as well as left and right-midfield.
