FC Barcelona are keeping a close watch on the situation of Paris Saint-Germain full-back Juan Bernat, who could leave the club for free this summer.
According to L’Equipe, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Juan Bernat has become a subject of discussion among the Barcelona camp. The PSG left-back is facing an uncertain future at the club, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season. His poor injury record has now forced the Ligue 1 giants to reconsider offering him a new deal.
It could ultimately see Bernat leaving the French capital for free, thus attracting the attention of FC Barcelona. The Catalans have shown the desire the sign free players in the summer amid the financial crisis caused by the ongoing pandemic. They have already been strongly linked with a move for Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia among many others.
A product of the Valencia youth academy, Bernat has had a difficult time at PSG recently. His progress has been marred by an ACL injury that is still keeping him out on the sidelines. He is yet to play a single game in over six months, and after the departure of Thomas Tuchel, as well as the emergence of Mitchell Bakker, it remains unlikely that the Spaniard will be able to reinstate himself as a first-team regular at the club.
Yet, Bernat is a curious case at FC Barcelona. The 27-year-old has loads of experience at the highest level of football, having made a combined total of almost 200 competitive appearances during his time at PSG and FC Bayern. In addition, he has registered four Bundesliga titles and two Ligue 1 titles among others.
At Camp Nou, the former Valencia star could emerge as an ideal alternative for Jordi Alba, whose quality has evidently taken a dip in recent years. His current understudy in Junior Firpo has had his difficulties settling in at FC Barcelona, often struggling to make full use of his chances. In fact, it won’t be surprising to see him depart the club in the summer, thus accentuating the need for a new left-back.
That is where Bernat could be an interesting buy. Having played under the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola, he should ideally fit in, as far as the style of play is concerned, while his experience at the highest level of football could be useful in helping him quickly settle in at Camp Nou. And for a potential free transfer – the ex-Bayern star could indeed a bargain for Barcelona.
