Barcelona Sets Wage Limit for Lamine Yamal to Avoid Messi Crisis

Barcelona is setting a strict wage cap for Lamine Yamal, as the 17-year-old continues his meteoric rise in football. The Catalan giants are aiming to prevent a repeat of the financial mismanagement they experienced with Lionel Messi, according to reports in Spain.

Lamine Yamal’s Rapid Rise
Despite his young age, Lamine Yamal has already established himself as one of the top talents in world football. The Spanish winger has outperformed his personal goal and assist tally from last season at the halfway point of the current campaign. His breathtaking performances have made a new contract a top priority for Barcelona.

Yamal’s current contract expires in June 2026, and his agent is negotiating a new deal. However, Barcelona is determined not to make the same mistakes they made in the past with players like Lionel Messi. The club reportedly has set a ceiling on any salary offer to avoid overcommitting financially.

Financial Caution and Historical Precedents
Barcelona understands that Yamal has the potential to become the club’s top earner eventually. However, they are wary of repeating past mistakes, especially after the financial strain caused by Messi’s lucrative contracts. During Messi’s tenure, his father and agent Jorge regularly negotiated new deals, which ultimately led to the club’s financial downfall when they were unable to renew his contract in 2021, forcing his tearful departure from Camp Nou.

Currently, Yamal earns around €1.7 million per year after signing his first professional deal in October 2023, despite having only made ten first-team appearances at the time. Comparatively, Robert Lewandowski is Barcelona’s highest-paid player with a salary of approximately €33 million per year, while Frenkie de Jong, Ansu Fati, and Jules Kounde earn between €15 million and €20 million annually.

Future Plans and Financial Prudence
Barcelona has already turned down nine-digit offers for Yamal and is determined not to risk losing their rising star to similar circumstances. With ongoing financial challenges, including an appeal to the Spanish government to manage Dani Olmo’s salary, the club is keen to maintain fiscal discipline.