WJoan Laporta, who is continuing his Barcelona presidential campaign, has once again shocked the soccer world with a statement. Lamine Yamal recently revealed that he could have left FC Barcelona, but the club rejected a historic transfer offer that could have changed everything for the then-17-year-old.
Joan Laporta revelations
He acknowledged this in the presentation of his book “As hemos salvado al Bara” (“This is how we saved the Bara”), stating that two years ago Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) offered just over $290 million to complete the contract for the young Blaugrana winger.
PSG’s transfer offer was rejected despite the club experiencing a complicated financial situation in La Liga.
After Kylian Mbapp’s transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, the reigning Champions League winners identified Lamine Yamal as Mbapp’s main replacement and preferred signing.
“We didn’t sell him because he was 17 years old. Some people thought we were crazy!”
So far, it’s proven to be a wise decision. Now 18 years old, Lamine Yamal has established himself as one of the best young footballers in the world, starting full-time at Barcelona and becoming a key figure in both La Liga and European competitions.
Joan Laporta’s gamble was certainly questioned at the time, but today it is evaluated as a complete success, a strategic move that could return FC Barcelona to the top of European football in the near future.
