The Catalan press reported on Friday exchanges between Paris Saint-Germain and Lamine Yamal before his professional debut in Barcelona. A long-time courtier of the Blaugrana prodigy, the Ile-de-France club even made a good offer to his agent at the time.
Champion of Spain in 2023 with Barça and winner of Euro 2024 with La Roja, Lamine Yamal continues to shine. At only 17 years old, the Blaugrana club phenomenon has just won the Kopa Trophy during the Ballon d'Or evening. Currently considered the best player under the age of 21, the winger was quickly identified as a nugget. And the biggest clubs in Europe continue to observe it carefully.
According to information relayed this Friday, November 1 by the newspaper Mundo Deportivo, PSG even tried to snatch him from the Masia almost two seasons ago when Lamine Yamal was barely 15 years old. All at a reduced price.
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Xavi's defining role
According to the pro-Barça daily, the risk of seeing the phenomenon reach France did indeed exist when PSG contacted its agent at the time, Ivan de la Peña (also current representative of Luis Enrique) . The Ile-de-France club would thus have been able to recruit the jewel without giving up any transfer compensation before he turned 16. To convince those around him, a great offer would have been made. Almost unheard of for such a young player with no playing time among the pros.
But before seeing him join Paris, Xavi would have intervened. Aware of the talent of this player who arrived in Barcelona at just six years old, the coach of the Blaugrana team reportedly spoke with him. If Lamine Yamal wanted to write his legend at Barça, the coach promised him a quick chance at the A. On the condition, of course, of continuing with his training club.
Barca turn down record offer for Yamal
A few months later, and extension in the pipeline, Lamine Yamal made his debut among the pros during the reception of Betis at Camp Nou on April 29, 2023. Integrated in the long term within Xavi's squad, the The winger ended up committing long-term to Barça in October 2023 and has since enjoyed a meteoric rise. Too bad for PSG, their love for Barcelona made the difference.
Now under contract until 2026, Lamine Yamal has a release clause of one billion euros. But that did not discourage his courtiers. Insistent rumors from the other side of the Pyrenees even pushed PSG to deny any offer for Lamine Yamal. Before new revelations this fall.
Joan Laporta, the Catalan president, recently assured that he had refused an offer of 250 million for the young nugget now represented by Jorge Mendes. Without revealing, however, whether it came from an Ile-de-France club or another extremely wealthy suitor.
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