How Barcelona passed on the opportunity to sign Kylian Mbappe for signing £135m flop

Kylian Mbappe is reported to join Real Madrid this summer. However, the French international could have ended up in Barcelona, according to Javier Bordas, who worked as Barca’s executive from 2005 to 2020. 

It was known that Blaugrana signed Mbappe’s French compatriot Ousmane Dembele in 2017. Bordas claimed that Barcelona has monitored Mbappe since he played for AS Monaco. When Barca sold Neymar in 2017 for €222 million, they had the opportunity to seal the deal for the 2018 World Cup winner but went for Dembele instead.

The expensive transfer gone wrong

“If I had been in charge, Mbappé would’ve been playing for Barça,” Bordas told a Spanish TV program El Chiringuito, via Diario. “When PSG paid €222 million ($240.55 million) for Neymar, we had the money to sign him. But the board preferred Dembélé. I wanted Mbappé, I spoke to his father, he would’ve come to Barça. At one point on the last day of the transfer window, I thought we had him.”

Barcelona used  €135 million of €222 to sign Dembele from Borussia Dortmund, dubbed as the club’s most expensive player that year. But he failed to replicate his impressive display when playing for Dortmund, spending more time in the medical room than he does on the pitch. 

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Erling Haaland nearly came to Barcelona as well

Bordas also leaked information about Erling Haaland who had nearly come to Barcelona. The Norwegian was still playing for Salzburg but once again, Barca’s board members preferred not to finish the deal. 

“Haaland wants to play in Spain,” Bordas added. “We would’ve had to pay Salzburg €20 million, plus another €20 million for Raiola. He had already made a name for himself. Discussions were had but Suárez was still there and the coaching staff decided not to sign him.”