Media reports have revealed a surprising twist regarding Spanish star Lamine Yamal, a standout player for Barcelona, the reigning champions of Spain. It was reported that he was close to transferring to Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window of 2022.
At just 15 years old, Yamal made a significant impact at Barcelona under the guidance of former Spanish coach Xavi Hernandez, who had faith in the young talent. Lamine lived up to that confidence and has since become one of the top stars in world football.
Bayern Munich failed to sign Lamine Yamal for €5 million
According to the Spanish newspaper “AS,” Hasan Salihamidzic, the former sporting director of Bayern Munich, signed a contract in Madrid in 2022 with an official from Barcelona in an attempt to secure young midfielder Gavi and Lamine Yamal.
The report explained that the management of the Bavarian club had successfully convinced the player’s family to relocate to Germany when Yamal was 16 years old for €5 million. However, the deal fell through due to Jorge Mendes, who was Yamal’s agent at the time.
Mendes then acquired the player and canceled any agreement to transfer him from Barcelona to Bayern Munich. He facilitated Yamal’s continued participation with the senior team, but Yamal completely changed his mind about leaving and decided to stay.
He subsequently signed a new contract with the Spanish league champions, extending until June 2031.
Yamal has played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s successes over the past few years since his emergence in the first team. He is now well-positioned to compete for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, awarded to the world’s best player by the French magazine France Football.
Most indicators suggest that the competition is now focused on Yamal and his French counterpart, Ousmane Dembélé, the star player for Paris Saint-Germain, who recently led the team to its first-ever Champions League title against Inter Milan last May.
Yamal, a Euro 2024 champion with Spain, currently holds the title of the world’s most expensive player, with a market value estimated at €200 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Since his promotion to the first team, he has played in 109 matches across various local and continental competitions, scoring 27 goals and providing 37 assists, according to the same source.
