FC Barcelona are preparing an offer to buy Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva which falls within the realities of their restrictive financial predicament according to SPORT.

Barca had to pull a number of 'economic levers' last summer to buy and register the likes of Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Robert Lewandowski.

This entailed them selling percentages of their future television rights revenue to American investment firm Sixth Street, plus 24.5% stakes in Barca Studios to Socios and Orpheus Media.

Silva was head coach Xavi Hernandez's last remaining transfer target after getting what he wanted from president Joan Laporta elsewhere on the market.

But as Frenkie de Jong refused to move to City's crosstown rivals Manchester United after Barca accepted a €85 million ($93 million) for the Dutchman in mid-July according to The Athletic, the coup had to be called off.

Fast forward to 2023 and interest is still high in the Swiss Army knife of a player who can play a number of positions in the opposition's half.

After successfully landing his former teammate and captain at the Etihad in Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer, Xavi still wants an attacking midfielder to boost his squad on the brink of a season where Barca will try to defend their La Liga crown and compete in Europe.

Silva is Xavi's preferred choice over compatriot Joao Felix, and the expected sales of Franck Kessie and Ousmane Dembele, plus the sale of a 16% stake in Barca Studios might make a move for the 28-year-old possible despite noted continued problems registering new players and contracts while navigating Financial Fair Play limits.

Before the end of the week, Kessie could have completed a €15 million ($16.4 million) switch to Al-Ahli while Ousmane Dembele heads to Paris Saint-Germain for €50 million ($54.7 million).

Meanwhile, a German venture capital group is still meant be interested in acquiring 16% of Barca Studios for €65 million ($71.1 million) despite TV3 reporting they had gotten cold feet.

These factors mean that Barca have been able to start preparing a €65 million proposal for Silva according to SPORT, which has an "almost mandatory" €10 million ($11 million) in add-ons attached to it.

City might be interested in selling Silva considering that he will probably be worth less next summer when he has less than 12 months to run on his contract.

While it is worth bearing in mind that the Mancunians have already reportedly rejected a bid worth €80 million ($87.5 million) for him from PSG, strained relationships between Qatar and Abu Dhabi might have been influential in that potential operation never getting off the ground.

With Pep Guardiola a Barca legend who came through the La Masia academy and once managed the club's greatest ever side, he might honor an unwritten rule at the Premier League champions not to stand in a player's way when he already wishes to leave and convince their owners to sell Silva to the Catalans.