Barcelona's director Football Deco has denied reports that Lamine Yamal wants to be the best paid player at the club. The 17-year-old has guaranteed that he will stay in public several times in Barcelona, but his agent Jorge Mendes is currently talking to the club about a new long-term deal as soon as he turns 18 in July. President Joan Laporta admitted earlier this week that they should 'suffer' for it.
Speaking in a long interview with RAC1, as told by MD, Deco explained to them that the most important thing was that he was happy in the club.
“He is on the right track. He is a player with adulthood who is unusual. I have a son of the same age. A player with so much quality and self -confidence comes along … but we can never forget that he is 17. He must live a little life, no matter how difficult it is to be. He must have a contract that it is suitable for him.
Last season it was talking that Paris Saint-Germain Barcelona had announced that they are willing to pay € 200 million for the then 16-year-old Lamine Yamal. There was also talk of a Real Madrid approach, but that was refused by Deco.
“Yes, last season yes, this still no, but what we want is that he remains. No offers because he doesn't want to listen, but PSG asked, Real Madrid, no.”
This week it was reported that Lamine Yamal wanted to be the best -paid player of Barcelona next season, something that was refused by Deco. Perhaps the nuance in the question is whether Mendes asked him.
“Lamine did not ask to be the best -paid player in the team. We are not talking to the players, it's with the agents. He wants to be happy here.”
Previously, his description of the maturity of Lamine Yamal was emphasized as one of his most important properties, and Deco explained that it is part of what makes him different. Despite constant comparisons with Lionel Messi, he has consistently said that he wants to follow his own path, not in the footsteps of Messi.
“Comparisons are difficult but normal. I am a Barca fan, and I was enthusiastic about Ronnie and Messi, and now I see the same with Lamine. Lamine does not care about pressure; he ignores the pressure of a stadium such as Inter Milan's or the Bernabeu, and for me that is best.”
“If the defeat does not hurt, you are not one of the great ones, and it hurts him. Because of his personality and mental skills, he is a different kind of player, and therefore there are not many lamijnen. He also has a very good technique; we have to take care of him as if we would make the others and feel him important.
It is perhaps a more quiet summer for Barcelona in terms of signing sessions, but Deco was clear that a long -term deal for Lamine Yamal was better than any arrival of stars.
“The contract extension of Lamine Yamal. I want him to win the balloon d'Or. We have a few players who can achieve this, and Lamine is one of them. Raphinha, given the season he has had, is spectacular, but we will see. Of course I would like a Barça player to win the balloon d'Or.”
Deco also avoided to get involved with whether he will take the number 10 shirt from Ansu Fati next season.
“I understand that you like to talk about this, but we don't care.”
Despite its apparent adulthood, the Downs will undoubtedly follow the UPS for the teenage super star at a certain moment. The Blaugrana will have to be alert to ensure that he has a strong support structure around him, on and next to the field. Lamine Yamal has shown that he can reach the level of the very best around this season, and now for Barcelona the challenge is to give him the means to keep it during a season and for many seasons.