Barcelona rejected €9 million January offer for defensive starlet – Romano

As Barcelona brace themselves for a tough contest against Mallorca this evening, the major highlight that has come this afternoon is the inclusion of Mikayil Faye in the first team setup.

The young Senegalese international has been included in Barcelona’s squad to face Mallorca this evening for the first time and may even make his official debut.

Faye’s inclusion in the team signifies the level of trust Barcelona have in the player, although the Catalans are indeed struggling with an injury crisis.

Barcelona rejected January offer for Faye

Barcelona signed Mikayil Faye last summer for a nominal fee of just €1.5 million. But the young defender has not taken any time settling into things in Catalonia.

During his time at Barça Atletic, Faye has made a tremendous impact, impressing onlookers with his strong presence at the back, coupled with his athleticism.

Faye’s rapid rise to prominence did not go unnoticed either, with Ligue 1 side OGC Nice being one of the clubs that were interested in signing the defender during the January transfer window.

This has been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, who suggests that Barcelona did not hesitate in rejecting the advances from Nice.

The French outfit were willing to offer a substantial €9 million for Faye, meaning the Blaugrana could have easily bagged a profit.

But instead of selling Faye, Barça opted to keep hold of the youngster and it could pay off, with the player poised to make his professional debut this evening.

The Barcelona defence has already unearthed one hidden gem in the form of Pau Cubarsi this season. The addition of another centre-back could go a long way in bolstering the depth of the defensive unit.

One thing is for certain – Faye will be the central focus as Barcelona take on Mallorca this evening.