Agent Raúl Verdú met with Deco to discuss the offers currently on the table for the midfielder and to review the terms of his existing contract, a meeting Marca was able to independently confirm took place.
Both the offers being weighed, domestic and foreign, and the prospect of an improved deal that the two parties had already agreed some months ago to revisit were on the agenda.
Bernal has become one of the Barcelona dressing room's players with the most upside, someone Hansi Flick regards as important, particularly after the second half of last season, once the 19-year-old had recovered from the serious anterior cruciate ligament injury that wiped out most of the previous campaign.
His strong form since returning, in which he featured in 33 matches, did not go unnoticed elsewhere, with several clubs, including Aston Villa, making their interest known both to Barcelona and to his representatives.
Barcelona's intention in Wednesday's meeting was to align Bernal's contract with his current standing in the squad. The midfielder, who has made 36 appearances for the first team in total since joining from Manresa's youth system in 2014, has consistently said he wants to stay at the club, and Barcelona are confident that will remain the case, with his existing deal running until June 2029 and carrying a €500 million release clause.
Rodri's expected arrival could reduce his playing time in the short term, but unlike fellow midfielder Marc Casadó, whose name has featured on lists of potential departures, Bernal is not considered a player Barcelona are looking to move on.
The timing of Wednesday's meeting, coming on the same day Barcelona were racing to finalise Rodri's transfer, underlines how closely the club's incoming and outgoing business is being managed as a single picture this summer, with Deco keen to reassure key academy graduates of their long-term importance even as reinforcements arrive from outside the club.