Sport: Galatasaray Offered €30m for Bernal in January, but Barcelona Rejected the Bid

According to Sport, despite attracting intense interest in the final stages of the transfer window, Barcelona’s young midfielder Marc Bernal ultimately chose to stay at the club. Galatasaray reportedly submitted an offer worth up to €30 million, while the player’s potential salary could have reached as much as three times his current earnings.

Bernal has recently emerged as one of Barcelona’s most closely watched young talents. Over the past few weeks, his development has been increasingly evident. He has gone from being limited to late substitute appearances—or even being left out of matchday squads altogether—to becoming a progressively more important figure in Hansi Flick’s rotation system. This transformation did not happen overnight. From suffering a serious injury last season to scoring his first goal for Barcelona’s first team against Mallorca, Bernal has endured a demanding and challenging journey. Maintaining a consistently high level of performance in recent matches has itself been a continuous test.

Throughout this process, doubts and uncertainties were unavoidable. On the one hand, there were periods when he struggled to regain Flick’s trust; on the other, signals from the transfer market suggested that multiple clubs were eager to exploit opportunities within Barcelona’s squad. These factors converged in the final phase of the transfer window, leaving his situation particularly delicate.

From mid-January onwards, speculation surrounding Bernal intensified, with his name repeatedly linked to potential loan moves. When asked about his future, his stance was always clear. Bernal said: “I want to stay. My dream is to succeed at Barça. This is the club of my life.” While such words are common in football, his actions ultimately matched his statements.

At the time, his playing time with the first team was far from ideal, but the situation soon began to change. Sport was the first to report Ajax’s interest in a loan move, followed by Girona and several clubs from Italy, Germany, and England. However, all proposals were ultimately rejected. Although sporting director Deco reportedly had some doubts, the club refused to relent. More importantly, the player himself chose patience, continuing to trust in his own development.

In the final stage of the transfer window, the situation took another turn. Galatasaray once again approached Barcelona—this was not the first contact between the two clubs. Previously, discussions had centred on Marc-André ter Stegen, but Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk was also keen to sign a young midfielder, and Marc Bernal came into focus.

According to sources close to Galatasaray, club president Dursun Özbek personally authorised negotiations over Bernal’s transfer, without ruling out the possibility of a permanent deal. The Turkish club’s offer reached as high as €30 million, while the player’s salary could have been tripled. It was a blockbuster proposal made as the transfer window neared its close, reflecting Galatasaray’s aggressive approach in the market. Since last summer, the Turkish giants have been among the most active forces in the transfer market. However, the extraordinary offer ultimately failed to progress further, and the deal was shelved.

As the season has progressed, Bernal’s presence within the team has continued to grow. Flick has given him more opportunities in terms of selection and rotation, and his performances have gradually rewarded that trust. The decision to stay is now beginning to show its value.