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Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz wanted to move to Barcelona early in his career, according to former La Masia director Albert Puig. The Moroccan international joined Los Blancos from Manchester City in January 2019, before heading out to AC Milan on loan the following year.
Diaz was a hit with the Rossoneri, and ended up spending three seasons on loan at San Siro. Real Madrid brought him back in the summer of 2023 and the 25-year-old has been an important part of the first team squad since.
However, speaking recently as cited by Madrid Universal, Puig revealed that Diaz was a step away from joining Barcelona as a youngster.
“Yes, twice. The first time we had signed a civil contract with normal amounts. We brought him to La Masia and Xavi and Iniesta took him inside the locker room and started playing with him for half an hour,” said Puig.
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He continued:
“He was signing with us, but at the end of the season, his family received an offer from the sheikh of Malaga. They were offered a large house, a private school for their sisters and an impossible improvement in life. I called Jordi Mestre and Guillermo Amor, and we decided to break the contract.”
Puig added that Diaz wanted to come to Camp Nou a year later, but Barcelona were too slow to react.
“A year later, Pere Guardiola became his representative, and he refused to play in Malaga because he wanted to come to Barça, but we were slow. In the end, Manchester City paid the €300,000 that Malaga asked for and signed him,” said Puig.
Diaz has registered six goals and seven assists from 42 games for Real Madrid this season.
Are Barcelona eyeing a Real Madrid ace?
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is reportedly a big fan of Real Madrid's Endrick, according to Defensa Central (via Barca Universal). The Brazilian forward has struggled for game time since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer.
Endrick has registered seven goals from 30 games across competitions for Los Blancos this season. However, he is yet to start a game in the league, with all his 17 appearances coming off the bench.
Nevertheless, Flick is pleased with his efforts and believes that the 18-year-old could be a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski. The German tactician has already expressed his wish to Barcelona president Joan Laporta. However, Real Madrid have no desire to let Endrick go.
