Vinicius Junior came remarkably close to wearing a Barcelona shirt instead of Real Madrid's white jersey. Former Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu disclosed on ESPN that the club pursued the Brazilian winger during his teenage years at Flamengo, reaching what he described as "an agreement in principle" with the player's representatives.
How Close Barcelona Came to Signing Vinicius
Bartomeu explained that Barcelona held serious discussions with Vinicius's family and agents when the forward was just 17 years old. The plan involved a delayed transfer structure—Barcelona would have finalized the deal once he turned 18, allowing time for development at his South American club. However, Real Madrid ultimately won the race, and Vinicius signed for Los Blancos instead. "Madrid probably made a better offer than Barca," Bartomeu admitted, though he hinted that Barcelona's proposal was financially competitive.
Vinicius later confirmed Barcelona's willingness to spend heavily, yet he chose Madrid for sporting reasons. The winger's subsequent trajectory vindicated his decision: he has become one of football's elite talents, claiming three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies while establishing himself as a cornerstone of Carlo Ancelotti's system.
Barcelona's Failed Pursuit of Elite Talents
The Vinicius miss was not Barcelona's only regret from that transfer window era. Bartomeu also revealed the club pursued Kylian Mbappé during his early years at Monaco. While Barcelona conducted productive negotiations with Mbappé's father, Paris Saint-Germain's aggressive approach and the player's preference for a domestic French move proved decisive. PSG secured the teenager after his role in Monaco's 2017 Ligue 1 title success.
Instead of either Vinicius or Mbappé, Barcelona invested in Ousmane Dembélé from Borussia Dortmund. The move initially disappointed Catalan fans, though Dembélé's career trajectory shifted dramatically after joining PSG, where he eventually won individual accolades. These missed opportunities underscore how close Barcelona came to assembling a generational attack during a crucial period in the club's modern history.
As El Clásico approaches, these transfer revelations add another layer to football's greatest rivalry, reminding supporters how thin the margins are between triumph and regret in the transfer market.
