Barcelona director holds meeting with midfield prodigy’s agent and brother | OneFootball

Barcelona are taking decisive steps to secure the long-term future of one of their brightest young talents, Marc Bernal.

In fact, according to SPORT (h/t FCB World), club sporting director Deco recently met with the midfielder’s agent Raul Verdu and his brother Toni Bernal for a one-hour discussion aimed at finalising important aspects of Bernal’s development and future at the club.

The report went on to mention that the talks are advanced and the official signing could be announced soon from the president’s office.

Highly rated by the club

It is no secret that Barcelona hold Bernal in extremely high regard. Hansi Flick and his coaching staff believe the 18-year-old has a vital role to play in the heart of midfield going forward.

As a result, the club are ready to assign Bernal a first-team squad number and officially register him with the senior side for the upcoming season. This move will see him join Gerard Martin in making the step up.

Barcelona are being cautious. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

While his current deal runs until 2026, the Blaugrana are eager to tie him down until 2029. Talks over a contract extension are reportedly moving in the right direction, with both sides keen to reach an agreement soon.

Patient recovery plan in place

Bernal suffered a serious ACL injury in August 2024 during a match against Rayo Vallecano, which has kept him out of action for nearly a year.

The club remain cautious about rushing him back into competitive play. Although he travelled with the team during their Asian pre-season tour, he did not feature in any of the friendlies.

Sources within the club suggest that the most optimistic scenario would see Bernal return for a few minutes in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como on 10 August.

However, his participation will depend entirely on whether it aligns with his rehabilitation schedule.

Ideally, Barcelona would like to delay his competitive return until after the September international break, marking the one-year milestone since his injury.

The aim is clear that there would be no shortcuts, no setbacks, as Barcelona are determined to manage Bernal’s recovery responsibly.