Lamine Yamal signs new Barcelona contract until 2031

New York Times

a day ago

Lamine Yamal has signed a new six-year Barcelona contract that runs until 2031.
The 17-year-old's previous contract had been due to expire in the summer of 2026 and contained a €1billion ($1b) release clause.
His new terms, that will take him through into the next decade, make him one of the club's highest-paid players.
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Yamal has established himself as one of the world's top young stars since he last renewed his Barcelona terms in 2023, playing a pivotal role in Barca's treble-winning 2024-25 season and Spain's 2024 European Championship triumph.
The Athletic reported in May that while an understanding was in place that he would renew on new terms when he turns 18, on July 13, his fast rise and status within the team has adjusted salary expectations and contract terms.
The future is now. pic.twitter.com/VP2WQmbNHN
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 27, 2025
Yamal joined Barca's La Masia academy in 2014 and made his first-team debut in April 2023 aged 15, becoming the club's youngest ever player.
He has made 106 appearances for the club and provided 18 goals and 25 assists in all competitions this season as Barca won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.
He has previously spoken of his desire to commit his long-term future to Barca, whom he described in January as 'the club of my life'.
'He is special,' Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick said of Yamal after the team's Champions League semi-final first leg against Inter. 'I've said before he is a genius. During the game, when I looked at the match from the outside, you see all the details and it is unbelievable how he does it.
'For me the best thing is he keeps going strong. In the big games he keeps showing how good he is. I also think he enjoys the situation. I am really happy this talent that comes every 50 years, that he plays for Barcelona.'
Yamal has drawn comparisons to Barcelona great Lionel Messi and has already featured more heavily for the club that than Messi did at the same age.
Yamal won his first cap for the Spain senior team against Georgia, aged 16 years and 57 days. He scored on his debut to become the country's youngest ever goalscorer, breaking the record previously held by Barcelona teammate Gavi, who was who was 17 years and 62 days old.
Yamal has been capped 19 times in total, scoring four goals. With his strike in Spain's 2-1 semi-final win over France at Euro 2024, he became the youngest goalscorer in men's major tournament history.
Analysis from Barcelona correspondent Pol Ballus
When Yamal signed his previous contract in October 2023, Barcelona and the player's camp laid out the foundations of a new deal to be signed as soon as the winger turned 18. That new contract included a significant pay rise and a multi-year extension. But yet again, Yamal has outgrown every expectation there was around him.
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What was agreed in principle back in 2023 no longer matched reality — Yamal is arguably the best footballer in the team and a Ballon d'Or candidate. This has been acknowledged by all parties involved, and this is why over the last few months, both Barcelona and Yamal's entourage have been in discussions to redefine the conditions of his next deal at the club.
It became clear that Barcelona had to do whatever they could to retain Yamal in a suitable deal — and the player has openly said he wants to stay for the foreseeable future.
However, this launched a debate around Barcelona. Can a 17-year-old really be the top earner in a club full of world-class and veteran stars? And then if we look further than that: if Yamal has reached status at this age, what will Barcelona have to offer when he turns, let's say, 24 and he keeps progressing as he is right now?
Those questions have been circling around Barcelona's senior offices — and around every football agent who is close to that dressing room. But Yamal is such a unique case that the club are forced to give him unique treatment.
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