Lamine Yamal nearly transferred to Bayern Munich at 14: how Mendes saved the star for Barcelona.

The Talent of Lamine Yamal Almost Did Not Become a Barcelona Star

According to The Sun: Lamine Yamal, an 18-year-old attacking midfielder, has truly impressed Barcelona fans by debuting for the team in 2023 at the age of 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days.

This young footballer quickly gained popularity, scoring 27 goals and providing 37 assists in 109 games for the team. He has won two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey, and helped Spain win Euro 2024.

However, it was interesting that Yamal nearly ended up at another club. As reported by Bild, in 2022, when he was 14 years old, he had practically signed a contract with Bayer.

The club's management expressed interest in a potential signing after reviewing video footage provided by scouts. Bayer also showed interest in another Barcelona talent – Gavi.

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić and technical director Marco Neppe became interested in Yamal's agent, former Barcelona star Ivan de la Peña. De la Peña promised to discuss the possibility of a transfer with Yamal's family, but the negotiations did not end successfully before July 13, 2023, when the footballer turned 16.

The situation changed when Yamal decided to sign with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who noted that Yamal's family would need about £4.3 million to realize a transfer to Munich.

However, the German club, pondering whether to invest such money in a young player, ultimately did not finalize the deal.

Yamal, who joined Barça at six years old, made his first-team debut in April 2023. Less than a year later, he received his first international call-up to the Spain national team at the age of 16 years and 57 days.

Thus, Lamine Yamal's story is a testament to how quickly circumstances can change in the world of professional sports. His successes at Barcelona and on the international stage confirm the potential of young talents who can often become football stars. Perhaps in the near future, he will play an even more vital role in the successes of his team and national squad.