The renewal of Lamine Yamal is generating a lot of buzz, as he turns 18 next July 13 and will be able to sign his first professional contract. Joan Laporta wants to have everything ready for the signing by that date, but it hasn't been easy. The financial conditions now set by Jorge Mendes exceed those agreed upon in his previous deal, and it seems he will have a higher salary than initially expected.
In recent hours, El Chiringuito has revealed that Lamine Yamal's renewal will be closed at around 7 to 8 million euros. We are talking about net figures per season, making him one of the highest-paid players in Barça's squad when he turns 18. The negotiations haven't been easy at all, but Joan Laporta has been clear with his friend Mendes: favors are repaid with favors, and this is what must happen.
Joan Laporta asks Jorge Mendes: "You..."
To reach this agreement for Lamine Yamal, which is higher than initially expected, Joan Laporta has made a request to Jorge Mendes. The agent has a large portfolio of clients at FC Barcelona and Laporta has asked him to take one of them next season: Ansu Fati. The club doesn't count on the homegrown player, and the idea is to get rid of him, shedding his enormous salary.
At the time, Ansu Fati signed a contract under the same conditions as Lamine Yamal: with all the future ahead and an increasing salary. He is contracted with Barça until 2027 and his salary figures have become a problem, being one of the highest-paid in the squad.
The renewal of Lamine Yamal, under Barça's current economic conditions, can only be done if a place is found for Ansu Fati. Jorge Mendes knows this and will do everything in his power to achieve it, looking for a new club for him outside of Spain. One option that is very appealing is Porto, known for increasing the value of young players.
At the moment, the preferred scenario at Barça would be to sell Ansu Fati for a financial amount, retaining half of his rights. Not much money would be gained now, but if Porto manages to increase his value, the profit would be greater in a few years. Joan Laporta has requested this, and Jorge Mendes is working to achieve it.