Barcelona have secured the future of one of their brightest talents, signing Lamine Yamal to his first senior contract.
The 16-year-old made his debut last season, coming on against Real Betis for a cameo, but has taken several leaps forward this season. Barely playing for Barca Atletic, Xavi Hernandez has placed his trust in Lamine Yamal, handing him four starts and using him in every game so far. He also has two assists to his name, and provided a match-winning performance against Villarreal.
The new deal will run until 2026, and includes a €1b release clause to fight off interest from other clubs – Manchester City attempted to pry him from Barcelona this summer. The three-year deal is the maximum that Lamine Yamal can sign at this age, and once he turns 18, Barcelona are planning to hand him a longer term contract.
Perhaps significantly, the news item on their website was listed under Barca Atletic rather than the first team. This may suggest that Barcelona will register him as a player for their B side rather than a first team player, where their ability to register new players is limited by their exceeded salary limit. Either way it will be a relief to Cules and Barcelona that the deal is done.
