'Genius' Lamine Yamal to emulate Lionel Messi again as Barcelona ease contract fears raging around teenage wonderkid

The record-breaking youngster has been following in Messi’s illustrious footsteps since stepping out of the same La Masia academy system in Catalunya. He is already a European Championship winner with two La Liga title triumphs to his name.

Yamal is considered to have become one of the best players on the planet, with Ballon d’Or recognition seemingly only a matter of time. Questions have, however, been asked of his long-term future.

Barca are understandably keen to bring that debate to a close, with Yamal free to sign a lucrative senior contract once turning 18 in July. Paperwork is ready to be signed, with Joan Laporta confident that another homegrown star will snub any interest from afar - as Argentine icon Messi once did.

Blaugrana president Laporta told La Vanguardia of Yamal: "He is a genius who enjoys Barca, who has friends at Barca and who, in addition, is part of this generation that has lived with his team-mates a lot. He is a player of superlative individual talent, but he is also a team player and he is comfortable.

"He also has an agent, Jorge Mendes, with whom we have easy communication. His renewal is practically already agreed, it only requires its ratification.

"At Barca we pay players to the right extent of their abilities. We are a club that pays well. We also say that there is nowhere better than Barca. Another thing is the analysis that they can’t all play in the same team and you can’t have all the good players in the world. And that’s where the key to the team lies.

"Lamine is a player who can succeed anywhere. We know. It happened to me with Leo Messi, who Inter wanted. And we ended up deciding together, including Leo’s father, that Barca would have the best project. And so it has been because he became the best in history. Lamine, at 17 years old, is one of the best in the world. He is comfortable and so is his family."

Laporta is also hoping to see Yamal’s fellow La Masia graduate Ansu Fati stay put, with the 22-year-old forward - who still fills the No.10 jersey at Barca - having endured a tough time of late. Laporta added: "Ansu is a Barca player, he has a contract in force. We want him to progress.

“He is an extraordinary man, he contributes a lot to the group. I always say that he is the music of this team. He is a player who has gone through certain difficulties and I would love for him to return (to his best level)."

Barcelona have been enjoying wild celebrations towards the end of a 2024-25 campaign that has delivered a domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup triumphs - with Yamal contributing 13 goals and 16 assists to the collective cause.