According to L'Equipe, Paris Saint-Germain once made a €250 million offer for Yamal, but Barcelona rejected it. Yamal was only 17 years old at the time. In recent years, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has repeatedly spoken about Paris's interest in the young star. As the two teams are set to clash in the Champions League, Yamal has once again become a focal point. Although Laporta is confident about keeping the player, some within Barcelona still have concerns.
Laporta told L'Equipe in an interview on Monday: "We are confident in our strength. Barcelona has always been able to offer players competitive salaries. The key is to make players feel comfortable at the club. It would be difficult to leave Barcelona, and we are doing very well here. This is a well-organized, clearly structured, and well-managed multi-sport club, and our players are grateful. Of course, we are not perfect, but there is always room for improvement, and we are working hard to succeed."
From a contractual perspective, Barcelona indeed holds the upper hand. Yamal's contract runs until 2031, with a release clause of €1 billion. It would be difficult for Paris to directly trigger the release clause to complete the transfer, as they did when signing Neymar in 2017, nor is it likely they would wait until Yamal's contract expires to pursue a free transfer. The situations faced by Ousmane Dembélé and Ferran Torres previously do not apply to Yamal. When a player has only one year left on their contract, Barcelona often faces pressure to sell to avoid losing them on a free transfer. From this perspective, Barcelona will have considerable leverage in the coming years.
Furthermore, there is a deep emotional connection between Yamal and Barcelona. The number 10 is a product of La Masia academy, grew up in Barcelona, and now plays for his beloved club alongside familiar teammates. This sense of belonging is something players like Neymar, Dembélé, and Ferran Torres did not have. However, Lionel Messi's experience also provides relevant context for Paris. When Messi left Barcelona to join Paris, he was already in the latter stage of his career, and Barcelona's inability to register his new contract was a significant factor in the transfer.
What could truly put pressure on Barcelona is Paris's advantage in financial and sporting terms. Although Barcelona's financial situation has improved and the renovated Camp Nou is expected to generate additional revenue, Paris still has the ability to offer salaries that Barcelona would struggle to match. Even if Barcelona considers Yamal one of their most essential players, Paris could still attempt to persuade him with lucrative contracts and sporting prospects, hoping the player himself requests a transfer. Some Barcelona fans also worry about the influence of those around Yamal, particularly what role his father might play in future decisions.
On the sporting front, Paris also has leverage to attract Yamal. The competitiveness of the Champions League and the pursuit of the Ballon d'Or are undoubtedly appealing to Yamal, who hopes to achieve great things in his career. Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015, while Paris has consistently pursued Europe's highest honor in recent years. Although Paris has adjusted its transfer strategy and no longer simply accumulates superstars, signing Yamal would significantly boost their sporting strength, media attention, and commercial value.
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