Lamine Yamal set to join Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha as one of Barcelona's highest earners as Liverpool and Man City continue to monitor wonderkid

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants view the 17-year-old winger as a cornerstone of their long-term project and are eager to secure his commitment through the 2029–30 season.

As Barcelona lay the groundwork for next season, locking down Yamal’s future has emerged as a top objective. Club officials, including sporting director Deco, are fully aligned on the importance of finalising a deal that reflects the player’s rapid growth and vital contributions. Despite current limitations linked to La Liga's financial fair play rules—exacerbated by issues surrounding the VIP seating revenue - the club is optimistic that those barriers will be lifted by May, enabling them to operate freely in the transfer market and contract negotiations.

While Yamal has repeatedly reaffirmed his desire to remain at Barça, he has communicated through his representative, Jorge Mendes, that he wants a new agreement reflective of his current role within the team. The teenager believes his performances merit inclusion in the club’s top wage bracket—a sentiment echoed by the Barcelona hierarchy, who are set to grant the player a salary package on par with top talents such as Pedri, Gavi, and Raphinha.

Despite the encouraging signals from Barcelona, Mendes and his team remain measured in their response. The agent has previously navigated tricky scenarios involving players like Joao Félix and Joao Cancelo, both of whom joined Barcelona under unique contractual conditions, only to find that promised future wage improvements failed to materialise. Félix, in particular, accepted a drastically reduced wage to facilitate his loan move, banking on a better deal down the line that never came.

Barcelona have penciled in mid-July - specifically between the 13th and 14th, coinciding with Yamal’s 18th birthday - as the target date to formally sign the new contract. While earlier discussions with Mendes have been verbal and not legally binding, both sides are confident that a formal agreement will soon follow.