Manchester United are keen on Marc Bernal
Manchester United are keen on Marc Bernal
Manchester United’s attempts to resolve Marcus Rashford’s future included an ambitious request for one of Barcelona’s brightest young talents.
Rashford has returned to Old Trafford after spending the 2025/26 season on loan at Barcelona. There, he established himself as one of Hansi Flick’s key players.
The England international made 49 appearances across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists. However, the Catalan club ultimately decided against triggering the option to make the move permanent.
The 28-year-old remains under contract with Manchester United until June 2028 and is available on the market. The Premier League club reportedly value him at around €40m (£35m).
According to Mundo Deportivo, United’s stance during talks with Barcelona went beyond the transfer fee.
Manchester United wanted Marc Bernal
The Spanish newspaper reports Manchester United were willing to negotiate Rashford’s transfer, but only if highly-rated midfielder Marc Bernal formed part of the deal.
The interest is not new, but the intention to make him part of the Rashford deal is intriguing.
However, Barcelona quickly rejected that possibility, and Bernal himself had no interest in leaving the club. The midfielder sees his future at Camp Nou. He is not considering other options despite attracting interest from elsewhere.
Mundo Deportivo adds that Bernal recently held talks with Hansi Flick. The coach assured the youngster he remains firmly in his plans for the upcoming campaign.
Barcelona stood firm
The report explains that Bernal is one of Barcelona’s most valued young players and is regularly mentioned by clubs whenever negotiations involving the Catalan side take place.
That made Manchester United’s request understandable from a recruitment perspective. Nevertheless, Barcelona were never prepared to sacrifice one of their biggest academy prospects to complete a deal for Rashford.
There is no indication United are preparing a separate move for Bernal after those discussions failed to progress. However, the episode offers a fresh glimpse into how highly the Old Trafford club rate the midfielder, even if Barcelona made it clear he was never available.
🇨🇭 Sékou Koné | Manchester United to loan youngster in Ineos deal for €500k ➡️ Announcement on way https://t.co/f9YPgXyMq8 #mufc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) July 14, 2026