FC Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal could be pushed towards joining bitter rivals Real Madrid in his early-to-mid-20s according to AS correspondent Javi Miguel.

The 16-year-old has smashed a number of youngest appearance maker records since first emerging in Xavi Hernandez's first team in the spring.

In preseason, he destroyed Tottenham Hotspur almost single-handedly by creating three goals in the Joan Gamper Trophy in what was described as the best performance in the traditional friendly fixture since a certain Lionel Messi against Juventus in 2005.

A red card picked up by Raphinha in the 2023/2024 opener against Getafe has paved the way for the 16-year-old to be picked on the right wing ahead of positional rivals such as Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati.

In two displays against Cadiz and Villarreal, Yamal has received standing ovations from the fans whether Barca are home or away.

In the latter meeting, a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory, he was awarded the MVP for having a direct part in two of his side's goals and after gave his first television interview.

Asked about his lack of fear in constantly running at men twice his age, the Mataro native explained: "This is precisely what Xavi asks young people, to not be afraid."

"Luckily I'm not scared. I go out and I play football which is what I'm good at. My mother is a little scared when I'm a starter but she supports me a lot," the shy teenager added, smiling through braces.

Yamal didn't mention his father, a Moroccan national by birth who Javi Miguel fears could play a pivotal role in breaking Culer hearts in the near future.

The youngster, represented by super agent Jorge Mendes, is on the cusp of penning a new deal. Because of his age, however, it can only be a three-year arrangement or, more specifically, run until June 30, 2026.

Yamal would be 19 by the time of expiry, and could then agree fresh terms for half a decade taking him to 24 in mid-2031.

After that, though, Miguel - noting that Yamal's father is a flag-carrying fan of Los Blancos - fears that the player who will probably be a a "supercrack", or superstar, by then will be pushed towards Real Madrid by his environment.

Some three decades after the betrayal of the century when Luis Figo did similar, such a development would cause an immediate sporting and institutional crisis in Catalonia.

While there is no point in getting wound up now about hypotheticals years down the line, it would be churlish for Barca to not think that this potential bombshell might not happen after being burned by the likes of Neymar and Figo.

All the Blaugrana can do is try the hardest to secure Yamal for as long as possible, and make his stay at Camp Nou so fruitful that he would never even consider switching allegiances despite the wishes his father might harbor.