Bayern Munich’s big regret: Yamal deal collapsed in 2022
Transfer sagas often hide remarkable stories, none more so than the revelation from Bild that Bayern Munich came close to signing Lamine Yamal back in 2022. The teenager, now regarded as Barcelona’s crown jewel and a future star of Spanish football, was on the brink of a move to Bavaria before the deal fell through.
At the time, Bayern’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić flew to Spain to meet Yamal’s then-agent, former Barça midfielder Iván de la Peña, in an attempt to persuade the Rocafonda-born prodigy – a Spain international of Moroccan descent – to commit his future to Germany.
The stumbling block was FIFA regulations, which prevented Bayern from registering Yamal before 2023. The German giants tried to secure his trust and that of his family with an early agreement, offering a deal worth €5m once he turned 16. But the negotiations were derailed when super-agent Jorge Mendes stepped in, taking over Yamal’s representation and immediately cutting ties with Bayern.
By then, Yamal had already made his first-team debut under Xavi at Barcelona before turning 16, seizing the chance of a lifetime with the Catalan giants. His rapid rise has since been extraordinary: a European Championship winner with Spain, and already boasting two La Liga titles, a Spanish Super Cup and a Copa del Rey with Barça.
Now, at just 17, Yamal is not only the face of Barcelona’s new generation but also a leading contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or, to be awarded on 22 September. For Bayern, it is a near miss that looks destined to go down as one of the great “what ifs” in modern football.
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