PL giants tried to sign Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal last summer; player immediately rejected offer - Reports
Premier League giants Manchester City were reportedly in the fray to sign Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, but the player promptly rejected it.
Yamal, 16, one of the brightest La Masia prospects to have emerged recently, has made a rousing start to life at club and country. He has made four league appearances, starting three, and provided a pair of assists in his third league outing as Barca won 4-3 at Villarreal.
Previously, he had also impressed in the 2-0 home win over Cadiz, where he was the MVP. That earned him a Spain call-up, and the player grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He scored in their 7-1 UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers win at Georgia to become La Roja's youngest-ever scorer.
Radio Marca (via SPORT) has reported that City tried to sign Lamal this summer as former Barca boss Pep Guardiola wanted the player in his wings. However, Lamal rejected the offer, as he intends to continue his development at Camp Nou.
The aforementioned report also added that City's pursuit of La Masia's crown jewel strained relations between the two clubs.
It's pertinent to note that many top players have moved between the two clubs. That includes Ilkay Gundogan, who joined Barca this summer on a free transfer, after winning the continental treble with City last season.
How have Barcelona fared this season?
Barcelona made an underwhelming start to the season. They played out a goalless draw at Getafe in a game that saw both sides end with 10 men and Barca manager Xavi sent to the stands.
The defending La Liga champions improved in their next outing. They won 2-0 at home to Cadiz, where Lamal caught eyes with performance and maturity belying his tender years.
The youngster put in another fabulous performance in the seven-goal thriller at Villarreal. Barca squandered a 2-0 lead to trail 3-2 before Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski scored to seal all three points for the visitors.
Just before the international break, Barcelona won 2-1 at Osasuna to move to third in the standings after four games with 10 points. Their arch-rivals Real Madrid lead the way with 12 points, having won all four outings.