Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly pulling out all the stops to keep Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva at the club this summer.
Both midfielders - who are seen as indispensable members of the Spaniard's squad - are believed to be on the radar of Barcelona amid uncertainty surrounding their futures.
Gundogan, who was voted captain by his teammates last year after Fernandinho left the club, sees his deal run out this summer, and he is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs.
Meanwhile, Silva is not due to become a free agent until 2025, but Guardiola revealed last year that the Portugal international wanted to leave the club before ultimately staying.
With Man City thought to be leading the race to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, the Englishman's possible arrival could force one or both of Gundogan and Silva out of the club.
© Reuters
However, Football Insider claims that Guardiola has no intention of parting ways with either man this summer and is pushing to keep both of them on the books at the Etihad Stadium.
Club chiefs are also determined not to let both Gundogan and Silva depart in the same transfer window, and their chances of fending off interest in the latter are said to be high.
Man City are reported to have slapped a £70m price tag on the head of the former Monaco man, which would end Barcelona's hopes of a summer move given their financial constraints.
As such, all parties are now said to view Silva's proposed switch to Camp Nou "impossible", but Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain - who have no such economic concerns - are monitoring developments from afar.
Silva has five goals and six assists under his belt from 43 matches in all tournaments this season, but he reaffirmed his desire to leave the Premier League champions back in January.
© Lime Pictures
However, City are in a weaker negotiating position when it comes to Gundogan, who is widely expected to walk out of the door for nothing when his contract expires in June.
The Citizens are said to have offered the 32-year-old a new short-term deal, but the report alleges that he has already made his mind up to join Barcelona on a free transfer.
Guardiola admitted to Sky Sports News last week that he was unsure where Silva and Gundogan would be playing next term, saying: "First, I do not know what is going to happen [with Bernardo or Gundogan] so the club take the lead and decide everything.
"But, the words I had, that I gave to you right now over Bernardo, they can actually be the same with Ilkay. The same for many, many years. He is even my neighbour so what can I say."
Gundogan's uncle and agent recently denied that the Germany international had an agreement with the Blaugrana, though, insisting that his client's future remains open as he focuses on the final few weeks of the season.
Gundogan was Guardiola's first signing at Man City back in 2016, and he has posted a similar set of numbers to Silva this season, recording five goals and five assists from 40 games in all tournaments.
Ben Knapton
