Agent Josep Maria Minguella has sensationally claimed Kylian Mbappe would have preferred to join Barcelona ahead of Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
Mbappe burst onto the scene during the second half of last season and is now considered the most exciting prospect on the continent.
The 18-year-old was linked with a move to Real Madrid all summer but eventually left Monaco to join PSG on an initial season-long loan deal.
Unai Emery’s side will make Mbappe’s switch permanent at the end of the season in a deal worth £163m that will make the teenager the second most expensive player of all-time.
However, according to Minguella, Mbappe’s father made it clear before his future was decided that the France international would have preferred to join Barcelona, only for the La Liga giants to pursue Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele.
“Mbappe said he only wanted to sign for Barcelona when he learned that Neymar was going to PSG,” Minguella told Cope, via MARCA. “Barca could have had him for €120m (£107.2m) plus €30m (£26.8m) in variables. I spoke to his father and he only wanted to join Barca - he would have loved to play with [Lionel] Messi.
“It was very difficult to get through to [Barca president Josep Maria] Bartomeu, but I told him that Neymar was done [to PSG] and that he should sign Mbappe.”
The teenager has made a bright start to life at PSG and looks to have formed a deadly partnership with Neymar and Edinson Cavani in attack.
In fact, Mbappe has played a direct hand in five goals in as many league appearances for PSG (two goals, three assists), while he has scored or assisted four goals (two goals, two assists) in three Champions League group matches this term.
