In 2017, a former FC Barcelona sporting director revealed that an agreement was reached with Kylian Mbappe and his father for the French star to join the La Liga giants from Monaco. This revelation came to light during a recent appearance on a popular Spanish football TV program.
At the time, Barcelona had a substantial transfer budget of $240.7 million (€222 million) following Neymar's departure to Paris Saint-Germain. The then-teenage Mbappe was considered a prime target for the Catalan club, with negotiations reportedly progressing well.
However, despite the efforts of the sporting director, the final decision-makers at Barcelona opted to pursue Ousmane Dembele instead of Mbappe. This choice ultimately led to Mbappe joining PSG alongside Neymar, while Barcelona invested heavily in Dembele, Philippe Coutinho, and Antoine Griezmann.
The failure to secure Mbappe's signature, along with other costly transfers and financial challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, contributed to Barcelona's current financial crisis. The club's struggles were further highlighted when Mbappe knocked them out of the Champions League in 2021 and is set to face them again in the upcoming quarterfinals.
Looking ahead, Mbappe is rumored to be considering a move to Real Madrid on a free transfer next season, potentially adding to Barcelona's woes in future El Clasico encounters.
