Chelsea and Al-Nassr both explored summer deal for 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder – Report | OneFootball

The FC Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal made his return to the pitch in the 6-0 win over Valencia after having spent the entire last season on the sidelines with an ACL tear. He played only the last 9 minutes of the game, which was already wrapped up by that time.

Interestingly, despite being out of action for so long, Bernal’s reputation in the market never diminished. According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, both Chelsea and Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr explored the possibility of signing the young pivot in the final stretch of the summer transfer window.

Chelsea, led by the BlueCo consortium, devised a structured plan for Bernal. They were prepared to hand him a long-term deal and initially send him on loan to their satellite club, RC Strasbourg, to help him recover match rhythm and gain valuable minutes.

Strasbourg, purchased by BlueCo in 2023, has already served as a stepping stone for other Chelsea prospects. However, while the Premier League side showed interest, no formal offer was ever submitted to Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Al-Nassr also made a push in the final days of the window. Unlike Chelsea, their proposal was straightforward: they wanted Bernal on a permanent transfer, with no option of a loan.

Ultimately, both pursuits came to nothing. Marc Bernal was clear that he wants to stay and succeed at Barcelona, and made this clear to the Blaugrana club’s board. Hopefully, he will be able to achieve this dream and make a strong return from his injury in the matches to come.