A new report from Spain has revealed that Manchester City are among an array of clubs who assessed the chance to sign Marc Bernal from Barcelona this summer.
Man City signed Ayyoub Bouaddi this summer but also scouted Barcelona's Marc Bernal.More Videos
City conducted a comprehensive remake of their first-team squad in the recent transfer window, making sweeping changes to the midfield following Pep Guardiola's departure from the Etihad Stadium after a trophy-laden decade.
Director of football Hugo Viana orchestrated the revamp as Manchester City moved on from a series of senior stars beyond their prime, whilst also reluctantly parting ways with Rodri and Bernardo Silva for £65 million and free respectively.
The Blues won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup double in Guardiola's final season at the club, falling short at the final hurdle of a titanic title race battle with Arsenal for the 2025-26 Premier League title and crashing out of the UEFA Champions League once again at the hands of Real Madrid.
As Guardiola called it a day in Manchester, the Blues recruited Enzo Maresca as the Catalan's successor and went on to give the Italian the ammunition he would need to get Manchester City back winning the Premier League title and staking a genuine claim for silverware on all fronts beyond Guardiola.
Barcelona's Bernal also caught Man City's attention before Bouaddi deal
Elliot Anderson, Jeremy Monga, Geronimo Rulli, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Allan Elias, Iliman Ndiaye and Enzo Fernandez were all brought in as Manchester City sanctioned a large-scale rebuild in a dramatic transfer window.
As reported by Spanish daily newspaper Sport and relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City also evaluated the possibility of adding Barcelona academy graduate Marc Bernal to their star-studded ranks ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
It has been reported that City were among a wide pool of clubs - also including Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid - to have assessed the chance of securing the services of the 19-year-old defensive midfielder.
Bernal has impressed upon his integration to Barcelona's senior squad under Hansi Flick and is set to put pen to paper on a long-term contract at the Spotify Camp Nou till 2031 after an encouraging start to the 2026/27 season.
Man City to see first-hand what Bernal is made of soon
Manchester City will almost certainly get a taste of the player they missed out on when they face up against former blue Rodri and co in their UEFA Champions League group-phase meeting with Barcelona on December 8.
However, officials at the Etihad Stadium are unlikely to be losing sleep over their failed capture of Bernal, having recorded the signing of Bouaddi from Lille for £86 million in the final weeks of the recent window.
Bouaddi has made an eye-catching start to life in England and is expected to be play an increased role in the Manchester City starting XI as the season progresses, having starred on his first Premier League start in the weekend 3-2 win over Ipswich Town.