The former Barcelona and sporting director has says there is “no discussion, no price” when it comes to Lamine Yamal, with a €250m bid from PSG already fended off.
The Spanish star has become one of the hottest prospects and properties in world football. Despite just a 17 years of age he is already a European Championship winner and the proud owner of prestigious Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy awards.
Yamal’s rise to prominence has attracted plenty of attention, with Barca president Joan Laporta claiming that French giants Paris Saint-Germain tabled a €250 million (£208m/$261m) offer at one stage, an approach that was immediately knocked back.
Deco while addressing TV3 has reiterated that Yamal is not for sale. “There are key players, and he is [one]. There is no discussion, there is no price. There have been no offers because we didn’t even want to talk about it. He will surely be at Barca for many years, like Pedri and Gavi… They will [all] remain here and become a legend.”
The young Barcelona teenager has earned praise from all-time greats such as Cristiano Ronaldo and fellow La Masia academy graduate Lionel Messi, with Deco adding on his obvious potential: “Yamal is one of the special ones. Not only does he have talent, he also has a different mental capacity.”
Barcelona have only tied Yamal to a contract through to 2026 – the longest deal permitted by Spanish law for minors. He is, however, expected to follow the lead of Pedri and Gavi by penning an extension through to 2030 once reaching his 18th birthday on July 13.
