Chelsea were characteristically busy during the 2025 summer transfer window, reaching double digits in both player signings and departures. However, one transfer that never materialised was the acquisition of Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal.
According to , Chelsea contacted Barcelona asking about a possible move for the 18-year-old La Masia gem. Bernal himself was the one who rejected any possible transfer given his desire to stay at his boyhood club.
Chelsea’s plan was to sign Bernal to one of the club’s signature long-term deals and then loan him out to sister club Strasbourg in order for him to get more minutes and return to full fitness.
Bernal missed over a year after suffering an ACL tear and only returned to the pitch in Barcelona’s recent 6–0 victory against Valencia, where he notched his first assist as a professional.
