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Amid interest from City: a Barcelona star goes against Flick's wishes

Fierce competition prompts Barcelona star to consider leaving

Marc Bernal is one to watch as Barcelona head into the final stretch of the transfer window.

The midfielder wants to play more, and he needs minutes to keep developing. He knows the competition in Barcelona's engine room will be fierce this season.

According to Sport newspaper, Hansi Flick refuses to let Bernal leave and has already told the player as much.

Flick retains complete faith in the youngster. He believes Bernal has the qualities to become an important part of Barcelona's midfield over the long term.

The situation still has Bernal weighing up his options. He wants regular football, and he knows minutes won't come easily given how many alternatives Flick has in that position, and how good they are.

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Bernal wants to feature more prominently
Barcelona have already lost some of their young players in search of game time, and the future of several midfielders remains up in the air.
Bernal could weigh up a move of his own if his role this season looks set to be limited. Flick, though, wants to keep him.
The German rates Bernal as a holding midfielder, but he also reckons the youngster's profile makes him capable of playing as an inside midfielder.
Back in 2024, Flick gambled heavily on developing Bernal within the first team, judging that the club had no need to splash out on the position. Bernal repaid that faith fast with his displays, before a serious knee injury brought his progress to a halt.

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Manchester City is monitoring the situation closely
Bernal's situation has also caught the eye in Europe. Manchester City have tracked the midfielder over the last two seasons, going as far as to enquire about his position.
City's scouts drew up their first report on Bernal back in 2024, and his attributes are believed to have impressed manager Pep Guardiola too.
The English club reckon Bernal has the qualities to play an important role in defensive midfield, and they have studied his situation as a potential future option for that role. Estimates in England have even valued him at around 35 million euros.
Barcelona's stance, though, is crystal clear. They do not want to sell, and the club still rate Bernal as one of the midfielders with the greatest potential for development at the La Masia academy. Flick shares that assessment completely.
Only one thing could open the door to a deal: a request from the player himself to leave Barcelona because of a lack of minutes.
Even then, the German coach would not make it easy. Flick has given Bernal his full protection. He wants to recover him, give him continuity, and find out how far a player he has backed almost since his arrival at Barcelona can go.
The player, though, wants playing time, and he knows he will have to earn it himself in a midfield brimming with competition. The transfer market may tempt Marc Bernal, but Flick has already made his position clear to him: he will rely on him and does not want him to leave.