Two years ago, PSG made an incredible push, and were very close to signing Lamine Yamal for 0 euros, revealed the Catalan press this Friday.
A true new star of FC Barcelona and all of Spain, Lamine Yamal is today one of the most valued players in the world of football. At 17 years old, it is already an incredible achievement to be at this level and Barça is rubbing its hands at having still been able to train a prodigy to put it back at the top, as was the case during the last Clasico where Real Madrid got slapped 4-0. But the story could have been very different, as revealed this Friday, November 1 by Mundo Deportivo.
Lamine Yamal and his agent hesitate to say yes to PSG
The Catalan newspaper returns, through its star journalist Xavier Bosch, to an episode which took place two years ago, when Lamine Yamal was only 15 years old. PSG scouts let their leaders know that there was a player not to be missed in the Masia, Barça's training center. Without wasting time, the Parisian club then made an offer to bring in the young winger, as had been the case with Xavi Simons in the past for example. Former Barça playmaker Ivan de la Peña, who was his agent at the time, hesitated before being brought to his senses by Xavi, who was Barça's manager at the time. If the amount of the offer was not revealed, it would have been very generous, forcing the Lamine Yamal clan to think.
His free departure at the age of 16 was a terrible fear for the Barcelona team, who were relieved to see Xavi speak directly to the young man at this crucial moment in his career, making him understand that he had a huge future at Barça, and not at PSG. What followed was an extension of his trainee contract, then a quick debut with the pros at just 15 years and 9 months, and the signing of his first professional contract shortly after his 16th birthday.
Today, Barça has according to its president Joan Laporta refused an offer of 250 million euros for Lamine Yamal after the Euro, which could come from a PSG which has never confirmed this attack two years after having been all close to getting him for zero euros.
