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Real Madrid have announced the signing of Bernardo Silva – picking up the 31-year-old free agent to bolster Jose Mourinho’s squad.
Silva’s contract at Manchester City ran out this summer after a remarkable nine-year spell in the Premier League.
On Wednesday Real Madrid confirmed that the Portuguese star, who is currently at the World Cup with his country, will be joining the club on a two-year deal.
Mourinho is already making his impact felt upon his return to the Bernabeu, with Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella also joining for £51.8m.
A club statement on Silva read: ‘Real Madrid C. F. and Bernardo Silva have reached an agreement for him to become a Real Madrid player for the next two seasons, until June 30, 2028.’
Real also shared a highlights video of Silva’s performances down the years for City and Monaco, the Ligue 1 side he left to join Pep Guardiola.
Bernardo Silva, seen here training for Portugal in Florida, has been confirmed by Real Madrid
When he played for the French club, one of his team-mates was Kylian Mbappe, who he will now link up with again.
Real posted a throwback picture of them both during that time at Monaco and wrote: ‘Together again’.
Silva will bring Mourinho the kind of game intelligence and experience his current Real squad may lack after an atrocious last season.
Xabi Alonso was sacked and Alvaro Arbeloa was unable to steer the club to any silverware.
Now Mourinho has been charged with whipping the dressing room back into shape and his countryman arrives with enormous pedigree.
Silva won 15 major honours at Man City, scored 76 goals and provided 77 assists over 460 games. He will be officially unveiled and speak to the press for the first time as a Real player after the World Cup.
Cucurella, meanwhile, will cost €55m (£47.4m) up front, with a further €5m (£4.3m) in achievable add-ons.
The Euro 2024 winner had spoken up over the last season on decisions made at Chelsea which he did not agree with, such as the New Year’s Day departure of head coach, Enzo Maresca.
That sparked speculation that he had grown disillusioned with life at Stamford Bridge. Cucurella avoided being punished for speaking up, unlike Enzo Fernandez, who spent time flirting with the idea of living in Madrid and received an internal two-match suspension.
Kylian Mbappe and Silva will be reunited having played together at Monaco
A social media post confirming that Real Madrid had agreed a deal for Cucurella was liked by Fernandez.
In the club’s farewell message, a Blues’ spokesperson thanked him for his efforts at the club, and wished him ‘every success’ in the ‘next stage of his career’.
Daily Mail Sport previously reported how the full back was among those in line to leave the club this summer, after they missed out on European football for next term under Alonso.
He departs with three years remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
