PSG wanted to sign Barcelona breakout prodigy before his contract renewal | OneFootball

Hours after it became known that Paris Saint-Germain were interested in Lamine Yamal, a new report from Fernando Polo of Mundo Deportivo reveals that the Ligue 1 champions were also interested in signing Pau Cubarsi in the past.

According to the journalist, Luis Campos, the sports director of PSG, had been tracking Cubarsi even before Barcelona secured his contract extension.

At just 17 years old, the young defender has already made a significant impact, despite making his first-team debut for Barcelona only in January 2024.

Notably, he also played against PSG in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage, where he effectively neutralised Kylian Mbappe’s threat.

Although the second-leg tie swung in PSG’s favour owing to Ronald Araujo’s red card, Barcelona were quite successful in thwarting the French team in the first leg and Cubarsi was one of the keys to this success.

PSG’s interest in Cubarsi

Pau Cubarsi played an excellent game against PSG in the Champions League. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Cubarsi’s rapid rise in Barcelona’s defence has drawn interest from several top European clubs, prompting Barcelona to act swiftly.

Despite having a youth contract with a termination clause of €10 million, which initially made him a bargain, Barcelona moved to secure his future until 2027 with an increased release clause amount of €500 million.

Luis Campos closely monitored the situation before that, hoping to lure the promising youngster away, but Cubarsi’s desire to stay with the club combined with Barcelona’s commitment, led to a contract extension until 2027.

Despite their interest, Cubarsi remains focused on his upcoming Olympic debut for Spain against Uzbekistan on July 24, confident in facing any challenges that may arise from Paris Saint-Germain’s continued admiration.

Just like Yamal, even if PSG are to approach with an offer, Barcelona will reject any kind of bid.