Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal this summer.
According to a recent report, the club is preparing an offer of £30 million for the 19-year-old midfielder, who had an impressive season with Barcelona last year.
Bernal scored five goals in all competitions during his breakthrough campaign, and the report claims that Barcelona consider him an “untouchable” asset and are not interested in selling the player.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is an admirer of Bernal and has placed him at the top of his wishlist, but it remains to be seen whether the club can convince Barcelona with an attractive offer.
The Spanish champions have already turned down offers in the region of £25 million for the player, and it is unlikely that they will be swayed by the £30 million offer from Aston Villa.
The West Midlands club might need to pay a lot more in order to convince Barcelona to sell Bernal, who has had ample opportunities to establish himself as an important player for the Spanish champions.
Bernal played 33 matches for Barcelona across all competitions last season, and even though he’s not a regular starter, he had ample exposure and will hope to play a lot more this season.
Aston Villa could use more quality in the middle of the park, and Bernal would be a solid long-term acquisition, but it will be difficult for the club to convince the youngster to leave one of the biggest clubs in the world.
