Ajax submitted an official offer to Barcelona to sign their young player, Marc Bernal, on loan during the current winter transfer window.
Bernal returned to action at the start of the season after a full year spent recovering from a torn cruciate ligament. Barcelona were keen to give him the necessary time and not rush his return to ensure his knee fully recovered.
Despite his recovery, Bernal hasn’t had many opportunities to play. However, Hansi Flick remains one of the biggest believers in the 18-year-old’s potential and believes his integration into the first team should be gradual.
Due to his complex situation, several clubs have expressed interest in signing Bernal, most notably Ajax, who wanted to acquire the player until the end of the season. Surprisingly, Barcelona’s management firmly rejected the offer.
Whether it was Flick or Deco, Barcelona’s sporting management was confident in their decision that Bernal would stay and play a bigger role in the coming period to continue his development. The German coach even decided to make him the second-choice goalkeeper after Frenkie de Jong, moving Marc Casado back to third place.
Bernal will remain with Barcelona regardless of any offers received, and the Catalan club is in a strong contractual position, as the player’s contract runs until the summer of 2029 and includes a €500 million release clause.
