Lamine Yamal Contract Shock: Barcelona Secures 16-Year-Old Sensation Until 2030 with Record €1B Release Clause

Barcelona are on the brink of tying down teenage superstar Lamine Yamal to a record-breaking contract that will keep him at the club until June 2031, according to sources close to the negotiations. The agreement, reached after a face-to-face meeting between club president Joan Laporta and Yamal’s agent Jorge Mendes, will be formally signed shortly after the winger turns 18 on 13 July, the first date on which FIFA rules allow a deal longer than three years for a minor. Yamal’s current contract, signed in 2023, expires in 2026 and already carries a €1 billion release clause; the new paperwork is expected to maintain that eye-watering protection while giving the player a salary and bonus structure that reflects his meteoric rise. Key details emerging from the draft: • Length & timing – Runs to 30 June 2031, making it the longest deal Barça can register under La Liga rules. – Signature is planned for mid-July, allowing all paperwork to comply with Spanish labour law for adults. • Salary ladder – Starts at an estimated €9 million net and escalates annually, potentially doubling by the end of the contract. – Performance triggers for minutes played, goals, assists and trophy wins ensure the package remains within Barça’s tight wage-bill limits while rewarding excellence. • Mega release clause – The €1 billion figure remains intact, echoing clauses handed to Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati to deter Premier League and state-backed clubs. • Unique bonus pool – A multi-million-euro bonus if Yamal wins the Ballon d’Or, mirroring incentives once granted to Lionel Messi. – Commercial revenue share on individual image rights negotiated by Mendes to capitalise on Yamal’s growing global profile. Why Barça moved fast Yamal has shattered milestones since debuting at 15, chalking up 100 first-team appearances, 18 goals and 25 assists in 2024-25 while powering Barça to a domestic treble under new coach Hansi Flick. With Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain all monitoring his situation, Laporta prioritised an early renewal to project stability ahead of summer transfer dealings and a stadium return to Camp Nou in 2026. Strategic salary-cap play La Liga’s updated youth-renewal provision lets clubs register U-24 players even when over the wage limit, provided the footballer has been on the books for three consecutive years. Barça are using that clause to spread Yamal’s cost across multiple seasons while continuing to trim veteran contracts. What’s next • Medical and photo shoot are pencilled in for the week of 15 July. • Presentation will take place at the Estadi Olímpic if Camp Nou renovations are still ongoing. • Barça will then pivot to finalising extensions for Ronald Araújo and Pau Cubarsí, ensuring a core built around La Masia graduates and long-term leaders. Lamine Yamal’s view The winger has repeatedly stated that his “dream is to stay at Barça for life,” stressing that the club’s style, Flick’s faith and the mentoring of Lewandowski and Gündoğan make Catalonia the ideal place to develop. Insiders say the new contract includes a private education fund and support for his family, mirroring perks once offered to Andrés Iniesta. SEO takeaway With a contract until 2031, a €1 billion clause and incentives fit for a future Ballon d’Or winner, Lamine Yamal’s renewal is set to become a landmark deal in world football and a cornerstone of Barcelona’s next golden generation.