In a revelation that has sent shockwaves through the football world, former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has dropped a bombshell: both Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe came tantalizingly close to donning the Blaugrana stripes before ultimately becoming Galacticos at Real Madrid.
Speaking to ESPN ahead of this weekend's blockbuster El Clasico, Bartomeu—who helmed Barcelona from 2014 to 2020—lifted the lid on two of the most significant "what if" stories in modern football. While both superstars were on Barcelona's radar, the paths that led them to the Santiago Bernabeu were strikingly different.
"The club was interested in Vinicius; we spoke with his family and his agents, and there was indeed an initial agreement," Bartomeu revealed, as quoted by MARCA. The Brazilian prodigy seemed destined for Camp Nou, but Real Madrid swooped in with a superior offer. "Madrid possibly made a better offer and ended up signing him," the former president admitted, highlighting the fierce competition that defines the world's greatest rivalry.
Mbappe's near-miss, however, was a different story entirely. According to Bartomeu, AS Monaco's astronomical asking price proved to be the insurmountable hurdle. "Monaco was asking for very high figures that Barça couldn't pay at that time," he explained. "I remember speaking with Mbappe's father a couple of times, but Paris Saint-Germain put a lot of pressure on Monaco, and I think Kylian also preferred to go to PSG, the French team."
Interestingly, Barcelona's focus at the time was elsewhere. "We were negotiating with Ousmane Dembele, who was the coaches' preferred player," Bartomeu noted, shedding light on the club's transfer strategy during that era.
The former president also addressed the ongoing Negreira case, a cloud of controversy that continues to hover over Barcelona. Bartomeu was unequivocal in his denial. "It has been suggested that Barça paid to buy matches or influence refereeing decisions, and this is not true. Barça paid for refereeing reports and match analysis services provided by Javier Enriquez, who is the son of Mr. Negreira," he stated firmly. He added that he hopes the matter never reaches trial, asserting that there is no evidence to support the allegations.
As El Clasico approaches, this revelation adds an extra layer of intrigue to the rivalry. Imagine a world where Vinicius and Mbappe were tearing down the flanks at Camp Nou instead of the Bernabeu. For now, though, fans can only wonder what might have been—while gearing up in their favorite team's colors for the biggest match of the season.