Laporta Dismisses Bernal and Casadó Exit Rumours as Barcelona Close Transfer Window

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has played down speculation over potential late departures from the first-team squad, insisting the club’s transfer business is effectively complete ahead of the window’s closure on Monday evening.

The Catalan side have so far added João Cancelo, who returned on a loan deal from Al-Hilal, while goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen departed on a short-term arrangement until the end of the season. Despite that activity, reports had suggested Barcelona could see more exits than arrivals before the deadline.

Following Cancelo’s return, it appeared increasingly unlikely that head coach Hansi Flick would be reinforced with the central defender he had been seeking. Attention instead shifted towards the midfield, where academy graduates Marc Bernal and Marc Casadó were linked with possible moves away amid limited first-team opportunities.

Speaking in an interview with La Vanguardia, as cited by Diario AS, Laporta stated that Barcelona’s transfer window was effectively “closed” and underlined that both Bernal and Casadó remain part of the club’s plans.

“Casadó and Bernal are part of the formula we believe works,” Laporta said. “A mix of home-grown players with others who come from high-calibre footballing backgrounds. That model works for us, and it was evident in the match against Copenhagen.”

Casadó has also reiterated his commitment to the club in recent days, despite reported interest from Girona and Atlético Madrid. The midfielder made it clear he has no intention of leaving Camp Nou.

“My dream since I was little has been to play for Barça, and as long as I have that opportunity, I will keep fighting,” Casadó told TV3, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“When you have so much respect for this shirt and feel such pride in wearing it, it gives you even more motivation. That’s what we’re going to do — keep fighting to win the Champions League.”

Both Bernal and Casadó face stiff competition for minutes in Flick’s midfield, with Frenkie de Jong and Pedri ahead in the pecking order. The German coach has also at times deployed Dani Olmo in a deeper role or used Eric García in midfield.

However, with Pedri expected to miss much of February through injury, Flick could offer the academy pair increased opportunities in the coming weeks. The Barcelona coach has already praised Bernal’s performance against Copenhagen, suggesting the young midfielder remains firmly in his plans.