Lamine Yamal tipped to become a mentor to Barcelona teenage summer signing: ‘Could be his big brother’

Lamine Yamal tipped to become a mentor to Barcelona teenage summer signing: ‘Could be his big brother’ Jesse Bisiwu did not need long to make an impression. The Barcelona summer signing marked his first major outing in the Blaugrana shirt with two goals in Sunday’s 5-2 win over FC Basel , turning what had been a promising pre-season into a statement performance just days before the new campaign gets underway. For a young player arriving from Club Brugge, the performance naturally brought attention, but those who watched Bisiwu develop in Belgium appear far less surprised by what happened in Basel. On that note, Devy Rigaux, Club Brugge’s sporting director until the end of last season and now working at Feyenoord, knows the young winger well.  Speaking about Bisiwu’s move to Barcelona, he highlighted not only the player’s ability but also his personality, and even sees a potential connection with Lamine Yamal. “I think Lamine could be his big brother at Barça.  “They’re part of that TikTok generation and Bisiwu has that X factor; he’s a charismatic lad, and I think he’ll fit in well at Barça,” he said, as reported by Mundo Deportivo . A proud moment for Rigaux Devy Rigaux has tipped Lamine Yamal to be Bisiwu’s ‘big brother’. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images) Rigaux was watching from afar as Bisiwu enjoyed his best moment yet in a Barcelona shirt. After the final whistle, he contacted the youngster to congratulate him on the two goals. The response, according to the former Club Brugge official, said plenty about the player Barcelona have brought in. “I sent him a message this Sunday after his goals and he replied in a very professional manner,” he revealed. Rigaux then offered a more personal insight into Bisiwu’s character and the way he was viewed inside the Club Brugge dressing room. “Jesse is a very laid-back lad, with lots of younger brothers and sisters; he’s confident but not arrogant.  “He’s well-liked in the dressing room because he’s affectionate; he’s still a lad who might leave his shin guards at home.” Barcelona were convinced Bisiwu was worth fighting for Bisiwu’s move was not an opportunity Barcelona stumbled upon late in the market. Rigaux explained that there was interest from other clubs, but Barcelona were the side most determined to secure his signature. “Other teams wanted him, but none as much as Barça; they saw in Bisiwu a player of the highest calibre.  “One of those wingers who used to be so common at clubs like Ajax, for example,” he noted. That conviction eventually led to an agreement worth €8.5 million , with Club Brugge also receiving 20% of the profit from any future sale. It is still far too early to judge whether that investment will prove to be a bargain, but Bisiwu’s debut offered a useful glimpse of why the club pushed so hard for him.