Football News

Monaco forward Wissam Ben Yedder says Barcelona have been interested in signing him for a year

By Mohamed Moallim

Published: 16:05, 21 March 2020

AS Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder has revealed Barcelona have been keeping close tabs on him for over a year now.

The 29-year-old French international joined Les Monégasques last summer and has subsequently become a revelation back in Ligue 1.

How good has Ben Yedder been this season? Five key things to know…

  • Wissam Ben Yedder joined AS Monaco from Sevilla last summer.
  • It saw a return to Ligue 1 for him after six seasons with Toulouse.
  • He’s since registered 18 goals in 26 games so far, making him the league’s top marksman.
  • In the race for the European Golden Boot Ben Yedders is behind seven players including Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, with Ciro Immobile currently leading.
  • Ben Yedder has revealed he’s been followed by Barcelona for over a year.

Ben Yedder is the league’s top marksman on 18 goals alongside Kylian Mbappe and his efforts leave Robert Moreno’s side in ninth place, a far cry from the season prior which saw Monaco finish just two points above the relegation zone.

His performances, which have also seen the centre-forward register no fewer than four assists, has subsequently attracted the attention of many including Barça according to Ben Yedder himself.

He’s a known quantity in La Liga having bagged 38 goals across 91 matches for Sevilla, his final campaign saw him register 18 goals, with 12 more coming in other competitions including a strike against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.

Ben Yedder’s current deal with Monaco expires in June 2024, but those links with the Spanish champions have been welcomed by him. And though a transfer was near in January, the Sarcelles-born goalscorer sees it as nothing but confirmation of a job well done.

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“For starters, these are things that could have happened long before,” he told Onze Mondial.

“Last summer, for example. They [Barca] took information about me several times. This winter, it could have been done. It didn’t happen, that’s how it was, that it shouldn’t be done.

“It shows that I am doing a good job. I stayed professional and focused on my performances with Monaco. When Barca arrived, I took it as a plus, as a bonus.”