The Inside Story of Lamine Yamal's Delayed Debut: How Cruyff and Alemany Protected the Young Star's Future from Xavi

The ascent of promising talent Lamine Yamal to Barcelona's first team was not as rapid as many might imagine. Jordi Cruyff, the club's former sporting director, revealed that coach Xavi Hernandez had wanted to promote the young forward much earlier than planned.

Despite Yamal being only 15 years old at the time, Xavi believed he was fully ready to play officially with the senior squad. However, the sporting management, represented by Cruyff himself and Mateu Alemany (then Director of Football), held a different view, insisting on postponing his debut.

Cruyff explained that the objective was not only to protect the player but also to safeguard the club's interests, fearing his potential departure on a free transfer. He stated in comments reported by 'Sport' newspaper: "We told Xavi: Lamine is 15 years old and not protected by a contract. If he plays ten games and shows the talent we see in him, he doesn't have a professional contract. We would be pushing him into the transfer market without having secured him."

This warning was crucial in delaying his official debut, ensuring there was no risk of him moving to another club. Barcelona's management was fully aware of Lamine's brilliance and convinced that his appearance on the field would create a resounding impact, attracting the attention of major European clubs, all while he had not yet signed his first professional contract with the Blaugrana.

Despite Yamal changing his agent to Jorge Mendes, confidence remained that he would respect the club's interests. Thus, Cruyff and Mateu Alemany only gave Xavi the green light after all parties were reassured and visions aligned regarding the player's future.