FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed the club rejected a staggering €250 million offer from Paris Saint-Germain for teenage sensation Lamine Yamal - a decision he says has since been vindicated.
Speaking at his book launch, Laporta disclosed that PSG tabled the bid when Yamal was just 17 years old. “When PSG offered us €250 million for Lamine Yamal and we turned it down, some people thought we were crazy,” he said. The proposed fee would have surpassed the €222 million world-record transfer PSG paid for Neymar in 2017.
At the time, Barcelona were navigating financial strain and external pressure to balance the books. Despite the potential windfall, the club deemed Yamal “untransferable,” opting to build around the academy graduate rather than sacrifice long-term sporting value for short-term economic relief.
Since then, the gamble appears to have paid off. Yamal has extended his contract through 2031 and emerged as one of Europe’s brightest stars, starring in La Liga and playing a pivotal role in Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign. He has since climbed to second place in Ballon d’Or voting, reportedly finishing behind Vinícius Júnior.
PSG’s interest reportedly intensified amid squad restructuring following Kylian Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid, as the French giants sought a new global attacking centerpiece.
With Yamal’s market valuation now estimated north of €150 million - and rising - Barcelona’s refusal of a record-breaking sum is increasingly viewed internally as a defining strategic call in the club’s post-crisis rebuild.
