Xavi saved Barcelona: The promise that convinced Yamal to snub PSG

Tom Weber

Updated: 1 Nov 2024 16:19 GMT
3 min read

Lamine Yamal, Barcelona, 2024-25 — © IMAGO

Former Barcelona coach Xavi convinced Lamine Yamal to snub PSG when he was 15, according to Spanish media.

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The Blaugrana youngster became the youngest recipient of the Kopa Trophy earlier this week, being honoured by France Football as the best U21 player in the world.

Yamal also came in a stunning eighth place in the Ballon d'Or voting and looks a good bet to beat Ronaldo Nazario's record of becoming the youngest-ever winner of football's biggest individual prize given that he still has three years to better the Brazilian.

The 17-year-old has been nothing short of a revelation for Barcelona, but the club have been somewhat lucky to keep hold of him all this time. Signed at the age of six, Yamal could have left the club upon turning 16 and again this summer.

Xavi convinced Yamal to stay

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has repeatedly insisted that PSG offered a whopping €200 million for Yamal earlier this year, which was swiftly rejected by the club, who have fitted the teenager with a €1 billion release clause.

However, PSG were already hot on his trail earlier, as were Bayern Munich. German media previously revealed that the Bundesliga giants tried to sign Yamal in 2022 but that the player was not keen on leaving Catalunya.

Now, Mundo Deportivo claims that PSG also tried to lure Yamal away then. When he was 15, his former agent Ivan de la Pena received a 'dizzying offer' for the winger to make a move to Paris.

And it seems that this possibility was given serious consideration. The Spanish outlet asserts that it required then-coach Xavi to convince Yamal to stay, promising to fast-track him into the first team as soon as possible if he agreed to remain with Barcelona.

Xavi was successful and handed Yamal his debut in April 2023 at just 15 years and nine months - and the rest is history.