Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona, La Liga, Spain
Jack Kenmare
Lamine Yamal has become the highest paid teenager in world football and one of Barcelona's highest earners after he penned a new long-term deal with the newly-crowned La Liga champions.
The 17--year-old forward, who is widely regarded as the best young talent in world football, has enjoyed another superb campaign for Hansi Flick's side, notching 18 goals and 21 assists in all competitions.
He continues to shine on the biggest stage and, after such a prolific season, the Spain international has agreed a lucrative six-year contract featuring a release clause worth €1 billion, according to reports in Spain.
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"A contract extension for Lamine Yamal is another demonstration of the solidity of the current Barça project," the club said in a statement this week.
Now, a report from The Athletic claims Yamal is expected to earn 'just shy' of €40 million [£33.5 million] a year before tax, although that sum is based on whether he achieves all of his performance-related bonuses.
If you break that figure down, the teenager will earn just over £644,000 per week; a sum that equates to £3,385 an hour and £63 per minute.
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Yamal's eye-watering new contract will come as no surprise to many, including former Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, who recently named the winger as his favourite player to watch in world football as he spoke to SPORTbible.
Speaking as part of the 'No Lay’s, No Game' campaign, Henry gave an insight into why Yamal is different from the rest.
When asked to name his favourite player to watch, the Frenchman said; "Lamine Yamal. I'll tell you why. And it's not because of what you think I'm going to say.
"It's his maturity. I'll explain. I have it clear in my head. Spain go 2-1 up against France at Euro 2024 in the semi-final. Unai Simon throws the ball to him and he controls it with the outside of his foot. He looks up and can go one-vs-one against [Theo] Hernandez.
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"At that moment, you're young. You've scored a goal. Who would have said anything if he took the ball and played the one-vs-one? It was minute 60-something. He touched the ball with the outside-of-his-foot, put it down, passed it back and said to everyone, 'Calm down'.
"I said, 'You're doing that at your age already and it's a wrap'. Think about it. That moment. In the semi-final, when you've scored a goal like that. You get carried away. Nobody would have said anything. He could have taken it one-on-one but he took the ball and passed it back."
Henry added: "Honestly. I remember saying, 'This guy is too good. He is on a different level.' Please understand the level I'm talking about. Stepovers, nutmegs – yes he does that all the time. But for him to think about that in a game of that magnitude is something else."