Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that the Catalan giants turned down a huge offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Lamine Yamal.

Yamalmade his Barcelona debut in the 2022/23 season in a single La Liga substitute appearance as a 16-year-old before pushing on in 2023/24, making 37 appearances in the league and contributing five goals and five assists.

He starred at Euro 2024 for Spain as they went on to beat England in the final as Yamal was named as the European Championship Young Player of the Tournament and in the European Championship Team of the Tournament.

The Spaniard’s contributions at Barcelonahave rocketed since then with 19 goals and 22 assists in his last 56 La Liga appearances for the Catalan side.

It was clear from very early on that Yamal was a special player, something French side PSG recognised, and Laporta has revealed that they offered a world-record €250m for the youngster.

Laporta told Jijantes FC: “When PSG offered us €250 million for Lamine Yamal and we turned it down, he was 17 years old. Some people thought we were crazy.”

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And transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed extra details of the offer with PSG’s offer coming before Yamal burst onto the stage at the Euros.

Romano said on his YouTube channel: “It was around April or May 2024. Yamal was 16, about to turn 17 years old—remember what happened with his situation about turning 17. PSG made an official proposal to Barcelona to sign Yamal. Again, he was very young but already a very clear talent. And so this is why PSG arrived very big to try and sign him. The proposal from PSG, says Laporta, was €250m. Yes, 250.

“Paris Saint-Germain presented that kind of proposal—and imagine, it was even before the summer, before the Euros, so before Lamine really became the best version of the young talent we saw in recent years. PSG and Barcelona, both clubs share a very good relationship with Jorge Mendes, who is the agent of Lamine, and so this is why he’s always been in the middle of these stories.

“But for Barcelona, the answer was always very clear. Laporta said ‘we rejected immediately that proposal; we said no to €250 million for a boy who was about to turn 17 years old.’ And for Barcelona, it was very clear. They didn’t want to open any negotiation. They didn’t want to open any door to the exit of Lamine.

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“That was crazy money—probably also helpful to help Barcelona financially in terms of future investments, in terms of future signings and all the rest. But for Barcelona, for Laporta, for Deco, for all the people at the club, Yamal has always been more than a player; a symbol of this project, a symbol of this era. And this is why they said no to PSG.”

Yamal was visibly frustrated to be subsituted as Barcelona beat 3-0 on Sunday night but head coach Hansi Flick didn’t mind the Spain international’s reaction.

Flick said: “I love that he is disappointed. It shows his mentality. He always wants to score, to assist, to help the team. That is good. That is what we want from our players.

“He is 18 years old. We have to take care of him. He plays a lot of minutes and today the game was under control. It was the right moment to give him some rest.”

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