Barcelona receive promising update on progress of wonderkid

Originally posted on Football Espana | By Ruairidh Barlow | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 1:27 PM ET

Barcelona are set for limited transfer business this summer, with their salary limit concerns set to hamper them again. Although a deal for Joan Garcia appears close, and they will pursue a winger, those could be the only bits of business that the Blaugrana do.

Midfield is probably the last area in which Barcelona need to strengthen,, with plenty of competition for places in the middle of the pitch. However they will in effect have a new addition to their competition for minutes in Marc Bernal. The teenage midfielder began this season as the starting option in the middle of the pitch for Hansi Flick, playing ahead of Marc Casado, before a tragic cruciate ligament injury ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Barcelona want to extend Pablo Torre's contract. Hansi Flick considers him an excellent player, with enormous technical and tactical qualities. Torre's only problem is that in the squad there are many players in his position. After renewing, Torre could stay, go out on loan or be…

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) June 11, 2025

Barcelona bring forward Bernal return from injury

Bernal has been exercising at full intensity over the last month, having been given the green light to do so. He was originally expected to be kept out for a full year from his injury , meaning any return would likely have seen him back in action at the beginning of September, having suffered the injury in late August against Rayo Vallecano.

Yet the news coming out of Barcelona is positive. According to Cadena SER, Barcelona will bring forward his return to action with the rest of the team to the start of preseason. It means that Bernal can realistically aspire to compete for minutes from the very start of the season. Flick will get his players back on the 13th of July this year.

Bernal and competition for places

Since Bernal’s injury, both Casado and Frenkie de Jong have proven they can be strong partners for Pedri in the middle of the pitch. Casado performed well in big games against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, while de Jong won the starting spot alongside Pedri. Bernal will provide a blend of physique and technical ability neither of the others possess though.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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