Lamine Yamal recieved interest from Manchester City who wanted to sign him according to Mundo … [+] Deportivo.
Getty ImagesPremier League giants Manchester City tried to sign Lamine Yamal and snatch him away from FC Barcelona recently according to Mundo Deportivo.
The youngster is now known by the wider football world after a blistering cameo in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Tottenham Hotspur last week where he ripped the north Londoners apart by creating three goals in 10 minutes which saw his side come back from 2-1 down and finish the match 3-2 victors.
The display was described as the best season in the Catalans‘ traditional season opener since a certain Lionel Messi took Juventus to town in 2005 and, Lamal is tipped to make his first start in the Spanish top flight on Sunday when the Blaugrana host Cadiz.
Raphinha’s suspension picked up in the season opener against Getafe at the weekend means that there is a berth free on the right wing, and the Mataro native is preferred over Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati according to AS.
Training with the first team frequently last term, Lamal has of course already become Barca’s youngest debutant in La Liga when Xavi Hernandez gave him a late run out against Real Betis in April aged 15 years, 9 months and 16 days.
Such involvement with the senior side was said to be a way of getting Lamal and his agent Jorge Mendes to understand the youngster’s importance to the long-term project being built by Xavi and president Joan Laporta, and getting them to commit to the club with the signing with a new contract.
Though there has been no official announcement on this yet, transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano tweeted it could arrive soon when reporting that a „full agreement“ had been reached for the winger to stay until June 2026 now that he has turned 16.
Yamal has of course had top clubs trying to snatch him away from the outfit he joined as a seven-year-old, however.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Manchester City recently tried to land him. The potential operation would have involved first signing Yamal for Barca’s regional neighbours Girona, who are part of the City Football Group, before he then headed north at some point to the Etihad.
The coup didn’t come off because of Lamal’s wish to succeed at Barca, who were also quick to the draw in convincing the player’s camp of his worth and that they should commit.
Barca can now enjoy Yamal for at least another couple of years until he would have less than 12 months to spare on his contract and his future becomes the cause of concern behind the scenes.
He would still only be 18 by then, but perhaps already among Europe’s best young stars should he continue progressing at his current rate.