Deco confirms Lamine Yamal remains central to Barcelona’s future while outlining potential transfer strategies to strengthen the squad this summer.
Barcelona Sporting Director Deco reviewed the club's successful season, culminating in La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de España titles.
The Portuguese national also addressed Lamine Yamal's contract renewal, dismissing reports that the young talent demanded the highest salary.
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Deco indicated that the club might acquire offensive players this summer, but it was not a necessity.
"The renewal process is going well," Deco told Cadena COPE.
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"He possesses a maturity beyond his years. It's unusual to see such a young player with these qualities. Let's not forget, he's only 17 and wants to be happy. Every player deserves a contract reflecting their worth. It's not about being the highest earner, but about being among the most important players. The key is his contentment. There's no better environment for him than Barcelona. Youth contracts are for five or six years. Lamine never demanded to be the highest paid; he hasn't asked for anything. Last season, we had an offer for him from Paris Saint-Germain, not Real Madrid," Deco added.
Deco then shifted focus to Barcelona's coaching setup, praising the club's decision to bring in Hansi Flick following Xavi's departure.
"We're not looking for full-backs, center-backs, or midfielders. At this stage, we want to sit down with the coach and hope nobody leaves. We have players who can replace Lewandowski, like Ferran Torres. Dani Olmo and Fermin can also play as false nines when Robert isn't available. Many teams, like PSG, don't have typical center-forwards. We're not obsessed with the idea of a classic number nine," Deco continued, as quoted by BTA.
"The goal was to stabilize the team with coach Hansi Flick. He brought us stability and consistency. He's happy here and identifies with the club and the city. If I were at another club, I'd be thinking about recruiting him. A two-year contract is sufficient because the pressure at Barcelona is immense. We were in London to meet with Flick personally when we were looking for Xavi's replacement.
We met face-to-face and started with a coach who had clear ideas, was familiar with Barcelona, and with young players. That surprised us. He claimed the team was good but could improve further. This was important. We established a good connection from the start," Deco explained.
Barcelona will enter the new season with a solid foundation built on youth talent and the leadership of Hansi Flick.
The club will aim not only to defend its domestic titles but also to reassert itself as a dominant force in European football.