Galatasaray’s €30m January Bid for Barcelona Prodigy Marc Bernal Rejected Outright

Istanbul, Turkey – Galatasaray stunned the winter transfer market by lodging a €30 million offer for Barcelona’s 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal, only to be rebuffed by the Catalan club, sources confirmed to Sport.

The Turkish giants tabled the bid late in the window after identifying Bernal—currently among the lowest earners in Hansi Flick’s squad—as a generational talent capable of anchoring their midfield for years to come. Club president Dursun Özbek personally drove the approach, promising to triple Bernal’s wages in an effort to lure him to the Rams Park.

Barcelona, who had briefly contemplated a loan exit for the teenager to guarantee minutes, never entertained the idea of a permanent transfer. Coaching staff regard Bernal as a future cornerstone of the first team and believe his value will soon dwarf the €30 million figure offered. The proposal, therefore, was rejected without negotiation.

Bernal remained in Catalonia and marked his commitment by scoring his maiden goal for the club during Saturday’s league victory over Mallorca. With the window now shut, he is set to continue his development at Spotify Camp Nou, while Galatasaray must look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.

Barcelona’s winter business was otherwise minimal: João Cancelo arrived as the sole incoming transfer, and veteran goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen departed. Girona had also explored a loan for Bernal, but the Blaugrana ultimately opted to retain the youngster, prioritizing his progression over short-term squad depth.

Galatasaray’s audacious swoop underlines the growing reputation of the La Masia graduate, even if the Turkish side always faced an uphill battle to prise him away from the club that sees him as a future global star.