Marc Casado was one of the biggest surprises at the start of last season with Hansi Flick. The young midfielder from La Masia quickly earned a place in the German coach's plans.
From the first matches, Casado showed a maturity beyond his years, leading the midfield. With great ability to win the ball and organize play from the back, Casado earned the respect of the locker room.
He took over the double pivot in De Jong's absence
A large part of his initial prominence was due to Frenkie de Jong's prolonged recovery from his troublesome foot injury. With the Dutchman unavailable, Hansi Flick opted for a double pivot formed by Casado and Pedri, a formula that produced very good results during the first months of the season.
Casado became an essential piece to balance the team. His solidity in defense allowed Pedri to play with more freedom, and Barça managed to keep a high level of performance. This period confirmed that the academy graduate had the level to compete at the top.
De Jong's return sent him to the bench
However, everything changed with Frenkie de Jong's return. In the middle of the season, the Dutch international regained his form and once again became the team's conductor. Flick brought De Jong back as a starter, moving Casado to the bench.
From that moment on, Marc Casado's minutes dropped drastically. Although he kept training intensely and made the most of his opportunities, his role in the final stretch of the campaign was minimal. The coaching staff valued him positively, but the competition in midfield was too high.
His future, an uncertainty with major clubs watching
Now, with the start of a new season just around the corner, Marc Casado's situation is once again up for debate. Barça's midfield is overcrowded, with players like De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Fermín, Marc Bernal, and even Casado himself competing for just three spots.
According to El Nacional, several major European clubs have already shown interest in the young midfielder.
Premier League and Bundesliga teams have him on their radar and could make offers in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, there has also been talk that Atlético de Madrid would be interested in acquiring his services.
Barça, meanwhile, is considering whether the best option for his development would be a loan, a sale with a buy-back option, or to keep him. Marc Casado's future will undoubtedly be one of the topics to follow in this summer transfer window.