Neymar signed for PSG in 2017 for a world record fee

Paris Saint-Germain are plotting a world record transfer swoop for Barcelona’s 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal.

Yamal broke into Barcelona’s first-team at the age of just 15 last year, becoming the fifth-youngest player in LaLiga history, and he has gone on to star for both club and country over the past year.

Widely considered one of the biggest prospects in world football, Yamal has plenty of admirers and reports from Spain claim that PSG are preparing a world record offer for the teenager as they consider potential replacements for Kylian Mbappe.

Back in March, Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed that the club had rejected a €200m (£169m) offer for Yamal from an unnamed club. “We have received offers for players like Lamine Yamal, for 200 million euros, and we have said no,” Laporta said.

“Because we trust the boy, because he is the future of the team. Because we trust in the boy, in his sporting potential, and we don’t have the need, on the contrary. We are in a process of economic recovery and we are already seeing the end of the tunnel.”

It has since been widely reported that the club in question was PSG and Mundo Deportivo are now reporting that they are ready to increase their offer for Yamal to €250m (£211m). That would be a new world record fee, beating the €222m (£198m) they paid Barcelona for Neymar back in 2017.

However, Barcelona are desperate to keep the teenager and view him as a key part of the club’s future. Yamal does have a release clause in his contract, which is compulsory in LaLiga, but it is worth €1billion (£846m) so it seems highly unlikely he will be going anywhere.

Lamine Yamal
PSG are reportedly preparing a world record bid for Lamine Yamal 
Image:
Getty Images)

Yamal has starred for Spain at Euro 2024 so far, having become the youngest player in tournament history after featuring in their opener against Croatia. Speaking ahead of Spain’s last-16 clash with Georgia, manager Luis de la Fuente said: “We speak a lot with Lamine every day.

“He is a special case because his age, no other reason. He’s another player, but with the fact he’s a kid of 16. His maturity belies his age, but he’s still developing and we’re all responsible for that, not just as a player but also a person, which is the most important thing.”