Barcelona had an agreement in place with Real Madrid-bound veteran before Mourinho changed everything

Barcelona had an agreement in place with Real Madrid-bound veteran before Mourinho changed everything Bernardo Silva was closer to joining Barcelona than many realised, but a dramatic twist involving Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho ultimately altered the course of the transfer. According to SPORT , the Portuguese midfielder had advanced talks with Barcelona and had even begun preparing for life in Catalonia before Jose Mourinho completely transformed the situation .  What initially looked like a straightforward move to Camp Nou gradually unravelled, opening the door for Los Blancos to enter the race and take control. At one stage, those close to the player believed a transfer to Barcelona was only a matter of time.  In fact, the foundations of an agreement were already in place, and discussions had progressed far beyond the exploratory phase. Bernardo Silva had started planning his Barcelona future The report claims Barcelona’s contacts with Bernardo Silva’s camp intensified significantly in recent months. Negotiations involving sporting director Deco and super-agent Jorge Mendes reportedly advanced to the point where both parties were already discussing the structure of a contract.  Bernardo Silva had an agreement with Barcelona. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images) The proposed agreement would have seen the midfielder sign for two seasons , with an option to extend for a third year. In fact, the outlet confirms that Bernardo travelled to Barcelona roughly a month ago and met with tax specialists to examine the financial and legal details of what his future contract as a Barcelona player would look like. At that stage, confidence around the operation was growing, as the Portuguese international was willing to take a substantial pay cut to facilitate the move.  His proposed salary would have been close to €6 million per season, significantly less than what he earned at Manchester City. Barcelona’s hesitation opened door for Real Madrid Despite the progress in negotiations, Barcelona never treated Bernardo Silva as an untouchable priority. While the club appreciated his quality and experience, there were reservations regarding his role within Hansi Flick’s plans.  Notably, neither Flick nor Deco could guarantee the midfielder a starting place, instead making it clear that he would have to earn his position through competition. Mourinho convinced Bernardo to sign for Real Madrid. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images) And that uncertainty proved significant because at 31, Bernardo was not looking for just a new contract.  The midfielder himself appeared to hint at that desire while speaking during his Portugal duty. Discussing his future, Bernardo was quoted by SPORT as saying, “I’ll go to the team that loves me the most.” Mourinho offered what Barcelona could not The turning point arrived when Jose Mourinho took charge of Real Madrid. While Atletico Madrid also explored the possibility of signing Bernardo Silva, their interest never reached the same level as Barcelona’s. Real Madrid, however, changed the equation entirely. Unlike Barcelona, Real Madrid made Bernardo feel like a priority target. The project offered a clearer sporting role, stronger backing from the coaching staff and improved financial conditions. Most importantly, it gave the Portuguese international exactly what he had been searching for: a sense of importance. Simply put, Barcelona admired Bernardo Silva, but Real Madrid convinced him.