Lamine Yamal at Bayern Munich? Bundesliga champions' ambitious attempt to sign Barcelona teenager collapsed at last moment after Jorge Mendes intervention

A remarkable revelation has emerged that Bayern came close to snatching Barcelona wonderkid Yamal in 2022. Then-sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and technical director Marco Neppe even held discreet meetings in Madrid with Yamal’s former agent Ivan de la Pena, as they tried to pull off an audacious transfer, according to a recent report by BILD.

The Bavarians had devised a long-term plan to move the youngster’s family to Germany, wait until he turned 16 in 2023, and secure him for a compensation package worth around €5m. Bayern believed they had an early advantage before the rest of Europe caught on to just how extraordinary the winger was.

But the deal collapsed at the final stage when super-agent Mendes entered the picture, swiftly taking over Yamal’s representation and shutting the door on Bayern’s hopes. Barca then accelerated his integration into the first team, and the player’s trajectory was set firmly in Catalonia.

This episode highlights just how close Bayern came to rewriting the story of one of football’s brightest young stars. Today, Yamal is tipped as a frontrunner for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but his career could have unfolded very differently had Bayern pressed harder.

It also shows the importance of decisive action in youth recruitment. Bayern’s brief hesitation over paying €5m for a 15-year-old, considered a risk at the time, cost them dearly. Within a year, Yamal had already debuted for Blaugrana's senior team, and by 2023 he had signed a new deal with a staggering €1 billion release clause, ensuring no rival could realistically prise him away.

For Barca, it reinforces the value of their La Masia academy and the trust they placed in Yamal by handing him minutes at just 15 years old. For Bayern, it is another painful “what if” in the transfer market, similar to other young talents who slipped away.

The report detailed how Salihamidzic’s trip to Madrid originally focused on Gavi, but Bayern’s scouts had been blown away by Yamal’s youth performances. Over dinner with De la Pena, the Bavarians made clear they wanted both.

The plan was concrete to relocate Yamal’s family, prepare him for life in Germany, and line him up alongside Gavi and Adam Aznou, who actually joined Bayern in 2022. But Mendes’ intervention changed everything. When contacted, he reportedly told Bayern that the family could “possibly be convinced” for €5m, but the German club wavered on whether to take the risk.

Meanwhile, Barca were already showing faith, and with Yamal’s senior debut at 15 years and 9 months became the defining moment that tied him emotionally to Barca. The chance to step out at Camp Nou while still a schoolboy outweighed any financial promises from abroad.

Barca’s decision to trust Yamal early has already paid off, with the winger becoming both a Spain international and one of the world’s most marketable talents. For Barca, the priority will be to continue protecting their jewel amid growing global interest, ensuring he remains the face of the club’s post-Messi era.