Why Barca want to make 17-year-old Yamal one of the world's highest-paid players
Barcelona's teen superstar Lamine Yamal is all set to sign a new mega contract at FC Barcelona, according to a report on goal.com on Tuesday.
Yamal, the 17-year-old wonderkid who illuminated the Euro 2024 with his breathtaking skills to guide Spain to a sensational victory, was unstoppable for Barcelona at the club level this season.
A product of the famed La Masia, Barcelona's youth academy where Lionel Messi had trained after arriving from Argentina at the age of 13 in 2001, Yamal looks destined to follow in the footsteps of the iconic Argentinian footballer.
Yamal provided the spark that lifted Barcelona's spirits in every crunch moment last season, scoring some sublime goals and creating chances for his teammates with defence-splitting passes as the Catalans eventually won three titles — La Liga, Kings Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.
The teenager also produced moments of magic in the Champions League as well, repeatedly pulling Barcelona up from difficult positions before they succumbed to the indomitable spirit of Inter Milan in the semifinals.
Now the Barcelona management is ready to reward the youngster with a bumper deal as Yamal is expected to sign the new contract which will keep at Camp Nou until 2031.
Yamal is expected to receive a massive pay raise as part of the new deal, making him one of the highest-paid players in the world.
The gifted winger is also likely to receive bonuses if he wins the Ballon d'Or.
For a player who scored 18 goals and produced 25 assists in 55 matches across competitions last season, it's not surprising that Barcelona are going out of their way to make him feel at home.
He is already the biggest crowd favourite in Barcelona where the streets are dominated by his murals — a scene that was unimginable until a few years ago when Messi was the biggest idol of the club.
Yamal still has a long way to go before he could claim a place in the pantheon of the greatest footballers of all time, but no footballer since Pele has made such a big impact on the game at such a young age.
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