According to AS, Mendes presented Silva's profile at Valdebebas but found no appetite from the club's hierarchy. Florentino Pérez is understood to be focused on younger long-term profiles, and the prospect of offering only a one-year deal — the most Real Madrid would consider for a player turning 32 in August — is not expected to meet Silva's expectations.
Real Madrid's admiration for Silva is genuine. He has been one of the standout performers in the head-to-head meetings between the two clubs in the Champions League over the past decade and has made 46 appearances this season alone.
The rejection narrows the field but does not end the race. Barcelona remain the player's preferred destination and have been in dialogue with Mendes. Juventus have made the most concrete offer, with Tuttosport reporting a three-year contract worth €8-9 million per season — which would make him the highest-paid player at the club.
Manchester United have also been offered the player. Mendes has also been sounding out Saudi Arabia and MLS as fallback options, though Silva's preference is emphatically to remain in elite European football.
Manchester City face Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final with a place in the final at stake — Silva's last realistic shot at silverware before bringing the curtain down on a nine-year spell at the Etihad.