Marc Bernal is one of Barcelona’s most promising young midfielders and a graduate of La Masia. Despite interest from Atletico Madrid and their coach Diego Simeone, Barcelona is not entertaining any moves involving the player.
While Barcelona and Atletico maintain contacts over a possible transfer involving Julian Alvarez, the negotiations are complicated. Barcelona has explored including fringe players in deals to ease financial constraints, but Atletico prioritizes higher-value reinforcements, with Bernal as Simeone’s clear target.
At 19 years old, Bernal is under contract with Barcelona until 2029, including a €500 million release clause. The club views him as untouchable for the 2026/27 season, expecting him to compete for significant playing time and solidify his role within Hansi Flick’s rotation after a full preseason.
Consequently, despite Atletico’s desire to sign Bernal, Barcelona remains committed to retaining their promising midfielder and will not include him in any negotiation, prioritizing the development and stability of their young squad.
