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2 months ago
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The first semifinal of Euro 2024 sees Spain and France lock horns in an epic battle. Both sides have their sets of bonafide stars and are headlined by young talents leading from the front.
France’s Kylian Mbappe, for a long time, was hailed as the next big thing in football. Now 25 years of age, he has lived up to the tag of expectation and is indeed one of the best in the business.
Facing him later today, however, is one of the biggest competitors to his throne – 16-year-old Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona rising star is just under ten years younger than Mbappe, yet, is already considered Spain’s biggest threat in the final third.
PSG’s failed attempt
Earlier this summer, Real Madrid officially announced the signing of Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer ahead of next season.
While Los Blancos only bolstered their already formidable squad with the winger’s arrival, PSG were understandably deflated by the development and looked far and wide for a replacement. The transfer, thus, had ripple effects beyond Madrid and Paris.
According to reports from AS, PSG considered signing Yamal to replace Mbappe in June and contacted his agent Jorge Mendes to analyse the feasibility of the operation.
PSG contacted Jorge Mendes to ask about Lamine Yamal. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)Les Parisiens want a top player to fill the void left by the French superstar’s departure and had their sights set on the Barcelona academy graduate.
The Ligue 1 champions, however, were told that they would have to shell out a massive amount. They were not willing to offer the €200 million that was asked and thus abandoned the objective of acquiring the Barcelona winger.
Keeping the steam
Yamal has enjoyed a stunning breakout season at the highest level and is even a regular starter for Luis de La Fuente’s La Roja at the Euros.
Barcelona’s fear, however, pertains to the player’s fitness especially considering how Pedri’s overuse in his first season left him prone to injuries.
It will thus be interesting to see the extent to which Hansi Flick is willing to rely on Yamal in both pre-season and the actual campaign and how he manages the youngster’s minutes. Long-term fitness, after all, is the ultimate objective.
