Barcelona looking to avoid Lionel Messi mistake with Lamine Yamal contract - Reports

Barcelona are keen to avoid a repeat of the financial misjudgment they made with Lionel Messi's contract at the club. The Blaugrana want to manage Lamine Yamal’s contract situation very carefully, according to Spanish outlet AS.

Messi reportedly signed nine contracts during his storied career at Camp Nou, with most being renegotiated every two years. Such repeated renewals, combined with ever-rising wages, ultimately proved too much for the club. They have since stumbled into financial disarray over the past half-decade.

Yamal is under a fresh contract signed in 2023, extending his stay until 2026. However, he could be on a similar track to Messi. FIFA rules prohibit a longer agreement because he is a minor. However, in light of the teenager’s meteoric rise, the terms of that deal now feel outdated, as per the aforementioned report, and there are expectations of an increase in wages.

Barcelona have already negotiated a framework for a future extension through to 2030, when Yamal turns 18. However, the club are now seeking to review and renew those terms ahead of schedule. The aim is to give the teenager a progressive contract that increases as his role increases, rather than engage in constant renegotiation and wage inflation.

The Blaugrana are committed to building a side around Lamine Yamal, who reportedly has a €1billion release clause, but they want to work within fiscal restraints. With Yamal’s 18th birthday approaching in July 2025, the Catalans are keen on signing off on a long-term plan that rewards the prodigy without jeopardizing their future.

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Lionel Messi's nine contracts at Barcelona

Lionel Messi signed nine contracts at Barcelona, averaging about one every two years, during his time at the club (via AS). His first professional contract was signed in June 2005. Just three months later, Barca raised his salary to match his increasing contributions.

In January 2007, Messi’s deal was extended to 2014, and terms were improved again in 2008 as he became one of the best players in the world. Another renewal followed after the club’s historic treble in 2009.

Soon enough, in 2012, Lionel Messi signed another extension. Two years later (2014), he signed another new deal that gave him better terms again and made him one of the highest-paid athletes on the planet.

In June 2017, Messi agreed an extension to his deal until 2021, but the most eye-catching deal came just five months later. In November, he signed a ninth and final deal to reportedly earn €555 million over four years, according to El Mundo (via ESPN).

Barcelona’s finances then spiraled, and by 2021, they were unable to register Lionel Messi’s contract under LaLiga’s regulations. He eventually left on a free transfer for Paris Saint-Germain, before leaving Europe to join Inter Miami in 2023.