A call in January. Another in February. A third in March. More insistence in April.
On one end of the phone was Jorge Mendes. On the other, José Ãngel Sánchez.
“Thank you very much, Jorge, but Bernardo Silva is not of interest to us.â€
And so it went, until a week ago, when everything changed. Not because of the persistence of the Portuguese agent, but because of José Mourinho. Florentino Pérez and the Real Madrid CEO eventually relented and accepted the original proposal, one that fulfilled the childhood dream of the footballer: to wear the white shirt of Real Madrid.
There was no betrayal of anyone or anything. Faced with repeated rejections, Mendes explored other options, including Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. Negotiations began with both clubs, although Atlético proved the more determined suitor. Its executives saw Bernardo Silva as the ideal replacement, both emotionally and on the pitch, for the departing Antoine Griezmann. Everything changed, however, when those in charge at Real Madrid finally agreed to what Mourinho had been asking for all along: the signing of the Portuguese international.
The player's intentions were always clear. Once he realised that the Mourinho effect had achieved what seemed impossible, he asked for negotiations to be redirected towards the Santiago Bernabéu. There were no betrayals and no attempts to use previous talks as leverage. There was only a dream, a desire and a lifelong ambition. Nothing more.
Mendes found himself in a difficult position, but his role has always been to fulfil the wishes of his players. In Bernardo Silva's case, that wish was to play for Real Madrid. No more and no less.
The departures of Bernardo Silva and several other players from Manchester City had long been expected. The club was entering a period of change and the closing chapter of a glorious era under Pep Guardiola. Among those likely to move on, Bernardo Silva stood out above the rest.
Although speculation about his future had been constant, not a single report linked him with Real Madrid until 24 April, when AS revealed the offer Jorge Mendes had presented to the club's hierarchy, the same proposal he had been making throughout the year. The player who is now a Real Madrid footballer was rejected in those initial approaches, but football changes faster than anyone can imagine.
That was where everything began.
The first club to receive direct notice of the Portuguese midfielder's intentions was Real Madrid. From there, his agent began exploring alternative destinations. Juventus was mentioned, but the two clubs that genuinely pursued his signature were Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid.
The initial reaction from both clubs was remarkably similar. Each viewed Cristiano Ronaldo's teammate in the Portuguese national side as a highly attractive option. Barcelona, true to form, even leaked reports of a supposedly completed agreement that never actually existed. Atlético, by contrast, adopted a more cautious approach. Club officials acknowledged their interest but admitted they could not meet the player's demands, a situation that gradually pushed negotiations towards the rojiblanco proposal.
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