Laporta Reveals PSG Offered €250M for 17-Year-Old Lamine Yamal

FC Barcelona turned down a €250 million offer from PSG for Lamine Yamal when the Spanish international was still just 17, Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed in an interview with L’Équipe. A colossal sum that failed to shake the Catalan board’s resolve.

Laporta did not rule out future Paris attempts, but displayed calm confidence in the face of a potential salary battle. “We have confidence in our strength. Barça pays its players well. It has always been the case,” he said, adding: “It’s a question of being comfortable at the club: away from Barça, it’s very cold.”

The context makes the question all the more relevant given that PSG has already attracted two former Barcelona players in recent years. Ousmane Dembélé joined Paris in 2023, and Ferran Torres also chose the capital club this summer despite Barça’s efforts to retain him.

On Yamal himself, Laporta spared no superlatives. “Lamine is a genius. He has that magic in him, his spectacular character. There is his way of playing but also his mentality. Lamine is entertainment. Currently, football cannot be imagined without Lamine,” he stated, highlighting the player’s ability to “entertain supporters” beyond his technical qualities alone.

At barely 17 years old, Yamal has already established himself as one of Europe’s most coveted players following a successful season with Barça and Euro 2024 glory with Spain. Should PSG return to the charge, the Paris club would now know that Barcelona’s floor price exceeds a quarter of a billion euros — and that the Catalans have, for now, no intention of negotiating.