Lamine Yamal nearly moved to Bayern Munich at 14 before Jorge Mendes intervened, report says

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal almost left the club as a 14-year-old after Bayern Munich made a substantive approach, but the potential move broke down when the teenager changed agents and came under the representation of Jorge Mendes, according to a report by German newspaper Bild and recounted in British media.

Bayern's scouting department had highlighted the teenager after watching footage of his performances, and the club's then sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and technical director Marco Neppe reportedly raised the matter during a meeting that initially had been called to discuss a possible move for Gavi. Ivan de la Pena, who was Yamal's agent at the time, told Bayern officials he would speak with the player's family about their interest and arrange a meeting; any transfer could only have been completed once Yamal reached the age of 16 in July 2023.

The reported switch of representation proved decisive. When Bayern representatives later contacted Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes, Mendes reportedly indicated a fee in the region of €5 million might be required to persuade Yamal's family to sanction a move. Bayern delayed making a decision on that proposal and the approach ultimately did not proceed, the reports say.

Yamal made his senior debut for Barcelona in April 2023 at the age of 15 years, nine months and 16 days, replacing Gavi late in a LaLiga match. Since then he has become a regular for the Catalan club and for Spain. He has made more than 100 first-team appearances for Barcelona, scored 27 goals, won two LaLiga titles and was a key member of Spain's European Championship-winning squad in 2024. Individual honours for the winger have included the Golden Boy award and the Kopa Trophy.

Barcelona handed Yamal the club's iconic No. 10 shirt after he turned 18 this summer, a number previously worn by club legends including Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo. As a minor, Yamal was limited to signing a maximum three-year contract, and Barcelona extended him until 2026. On his 18th birthday in July, the club activated a new six-year deal that will keep him at Barcelona until 2031 and included a significant pay increase.

The Bild account and subsequent coverage in other outlets offer new detail on one of several high-profile recruitment efforts across Europe for elite youngsters. International transfer rules for minors and the involvement of agents often affect the timing and structure of moves for top prospects; in Yamal's case, Barcelona retained the player through his breakthrough into the first team and subsequent long-term contract.

Neither Bayern Munich nor Jorge Mendes publicly commented to the media outlets that reported the account. Barcelona have maintained Yamal as a central figure in their plans, and the club's decision to assign him the No. 10 shirt and secure him through 2031 underlines their long-term commitment to the winger.