"PSG offered us €250 million for Yamal when he was 17" – Joan Laporta admits Yamal could have left Barcelona

Yamal could have joined PSG two years ago, but Laporta stood his ground.

Details: According to The Touchline, Barcelona’s 63-year-old president Joan Laporta revealed in an interview that two years ago, PSG representatives approached him with an offer for Lamine Yamal, putting €250 million on the table for the transfer.

• See also: Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge prediction, H2H and probable lineups — February 24, 2026

Laporta admitted that even such a mind-blowing sum couldn’t convince the club’s management to let their young prodigy go:

"When PSG offered us €250 million for Lamine Yamal and we turned it down, he was 17 years old; some people thought we were crazy," Laporta confessed.

Given Barcelona’s financial struggles, such a deal could have dramatically improved the club’s budget. However, Laporta remained loyal to the club’s philosophy and refused to part ways with the La Masia academy graduate.

Lamine Yamal joined Barcelona’s first team in 2023 after progressing through all of the club’s youth academies. To date, Yamal has made 139 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 40 goals and providing 48 assists.

His current contract with Barcelona runs until 2031, and his market value is estimated at €220 million by Transfermarkt.

Reminder: Masterpiece! Barcelona demolish Levante thanks to Fermin Lopez's incredible long-range goal