Bernardo Silva unlikely for Juventus without Champions League

Juventus appeared set to miss out on signing Bernardo Silva as a free agent without qualification to next season’s Champions League, which seemed unlikely heading into the final round of the 2025-26 Serie A fixtures.

Previously, Juventus had been among the frontrunners to land the Portugal international, who was set to leave Manchester City after nine seasons and six Premier League titles when his contract expired at the end of June. However, updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport and various other outlets indicated that the signing of Bernardo Silva was slipping away from the Bianconeri due to a lack of access to the Champions League and interest from other clubs, especially Atletico Madrid.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Bernardo Silva’s agent, Jorge Mendes, had strong demands for his client, seeking a three-year contract with a salary in excess of €10m per season. This demand was always seen as a stretch for Juventus and practically impossible without Champions League revenues.

In addition to Juventus’s challenges, Atletico Madrid, managed by Diego Simeone, were in a strong position as they guaranteed Champions League football and were based closer to Bernardo Silva’s home in Portugal, which was an important factor in the decision regarding his next club.

As a result, Juventus began looking at alternative options. La Gazzetta dello Sport mentioned that the club was interested in two former Milan players instead of Bernardo Silva: Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders, who seemed to be on the sidelines at the Etihad Stadium, and former Rossoneri loanee Brahim Diaz, who was still with Real Madrid.