Joan Laporta reveals details behind €180m Barcelona star’s contract renewal talks | OneFootball

Joan Laporta has played a pivotal role in FC Barcelona’s resurgence, and the appointment of Hansi Flick last summer has proven to be a masterstroke. With a domestic treble now secured, attention shifts from silverware to sustainability.

Having secured laurels on the pitch, the club is now looking towards the future and are focusing on both potential new signings for the squad at Flick’s disposal but also ensuring that the key players are given new contracts to tie down their future at the club.

Barcelona completed a number of key renewals like Pedri, Gavi and Ronald Araujo (assumed to be key back then) in January and it looks like they are working on a few more this season, with Frenkie de Jong in particular being placed on the priority list.

Lamine Yamal deserves a new contract

One other player who deserves a new bumper contract is Lamine Yamal. The teenager is waiting to turn 18 before he signs a new deal with the club that would tie him down to the Catalan side for years to come. Two months before his birthday, he is already one of the best players in the world.

Lamine has had a brilliant season for club and country. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Speaking about the plan to renew Lamine’s contract, Laporta compared it to the deal that the club used to hand out to Lionel Messi. As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, he said:

“With Messi, we consolidated the bonuses into a fixed salary. And since we were winning everything… that kept him very motivated. In Lamine’s case, we have to make him feel important. At Barça, we know how to do that. Barça is the best club he could be at. He’s Catalan, he’s from Barça… He feels identified with the club, and he keeps that in mind because he’s well advised.”

Laporta then highlighted that the new contract has to be in line with the player’s importance to the team and it didn’t matter how old Yamal was. He said:

“The salary must reflect the importance of the player within the team, regardless of their age. In this case, he deserves special treatment — it’s obvious. A player like Lamine, who has exploded the way he has, must be handled in a special way. He’s outside the norm. We need to align the player’s interests with those of the club. We want him to stay for many years, and the long-term approach we take will be key. We hope there will be understanding from both sides. So far, there hasn’t been any issue with his camp — quite the opposite. This will end well.”

The president then went on to reiterate the fact that he expects the renewal to progress seamlessly. He concluded:

“It will go well. He’s exceptional. And he’s happy at Barça. We’re working on this signing.”

The number 10 jersey is waiting for Lamine Yamal, along with a new deal. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

A global superstar in the making

Over the course of the season, Lamine has taken the step up from being touted as the best youngster in the world to being in the conversation for the best player in the world. If anyone deserves a new bumper contract, it would have to be him.

A new deal, likely accompanied by the iconic number 10 shirt, feels both symbolic and deserved. With Laporta confident and the player happy, all signs point toward a smooth renewal. In Lamine, Barcelona’s next era has already begun, and it looks destined for greatness.