Lamine Yamal ‘agreed to join European giant’ when he was 14 before Jorge Mendes blocked move in sliding doors moment for Barcelona star

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal might reportedly have been prized away by one other of European soccer’s heavyweights when he was aged 14, just for the agent Jorge Mendes to intervene and block the transfer.

Regardless of solely turning 18 in the summertime, Yamal has already remodeled 100 appearances in Barcelona’s first workforce, scoring 27 occasions.

Yamal has earned two LaLiga titles with the Catalan giants and was a key a part of Spain’s European Championship profitable aspect in 2024.

His particular person accolades have included profitable the Golden Boy award and Kopa Trophy, with the honours recognising the soccer’s finest younger skills.

Barcelona bestowed their iconic No 10 shirt on Yamal this summer time, with Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo among the many stars to have worn it previously.

The shirt mirrored Barcelona’s view of Yamal being their poster boy transferring forwards, however the Spanish giants reportedly got here near dropping the younger star when he was simply 14.

Ex-Bayern Munich director Hasan Salihamidzic, left, reportedly pushed for Yamal to affix the membership however Jorge Mendes taking up as {the teenager}’s agent noticed a possible deal break down

Make your 7 picks by 12.30pm each Saturday to win £1,000*

Manchester Metropolis

Manchester United

*18+, excludes NI. Phrases and circumstances apply

In keeping with German newspaper Bild, Bayern Munich made a critical try and signal the winger after their scouting division had proven their hierarchy clips of {the teenager}.

Bayern Munich’s then sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and technical director Marco Neppe reportedly expressed their curiosity to Yamal’s agent Ivan de la Pena.

The curiosity stated to have been raised throughout a gathering referred to as to initially focus on a potential transfer for Gavi, one other rising Barcelona star.

De la Pena reportedly knowledgeable the Bayern officers he would inform Yamal’s household of their curiosity and need to satisfy to debate a becoming a member of, which might solely have been in a position to undergo when he turned 16 in July 2023.

The potential deal, nevertheless, broke down after Yamal switched illustration with Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes having signed him as a consumer.

When contacted by Bayern representatives, Mendes reportedly claimed a charge of round €5million (£4.3m) could also be sufficient to persuade Yamal’s household to deliver him to Bavaria.

Bayern chiefs reportedly delayed making a call to paying the substantial switch charge for the 14-year-old.

Yamal would finally make his senior debut for Barcelona aged 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days, when he got here on to switch Gavi – Bayern’s preliminary goal – within the closing levels of a LaLiga match in April 2023.

Yamal would finally make his Barcelona debut on the age of 15 again in April 2023

The winger helped Spain to win the European Championships in the summertime of 2024

Yamal acquired Barcelona’s iconic No 10 shirt this summer time after he turned 18

Barcelona prolonged Yamal’s contract till 2026 later that yr, because the winger started to turn out to be a daily of their first workforce.

The membership have been solely in a position to give him a deal till 2026 attributable to gamers underneath the age of 18 solely being permitted to signal for a most of three years.

In Could, Yamal signed a brand new six-year contact to increase his keep till 2031 with the deal together with a major pay rise.

The deal got here into impact on Yamal’s 18th birthday in July.