"He has supernatural talent and must maintain this" - Ex-Barcelona youth coach claims Lamine Yamal has ability to carry club on his shoulders

Former Barcelona youth coach Jordi Font was full of praise for teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. He suggested that the 18-year-old was already one of the best players at the club, claiming that he could lead La Blaugrana to success in the coming years.

Font said (via TribalFootball):

"He looks very good, he still has a long way to go. He shows great maturity when he makes certain statements. "On the pitch, he's also demonstrating the ability to be decisive, to carry the team on his shoulders. He's more than ready. He has supernatural talent and must maintain this level. One of the best young players at the club.

He went on to speak about the attacker's mentality, suggesting that he was doing well to cope with the pressure of performing well, adding:

"An unexpected success? At this stage of adolescence, they're unaware of what they're experiencing; it's obvious to them, and in this sense, this boom has had positive repercussions for them. If you're arrogant, you don't value something that can create additional pressure; you take advantage of it when you're already mature. "They take it naturally; they've been used to it for years. But they need a context that supports, encourages, and values them. In the case of Lamine, with his super historic records.

Yamal burst onto the scene in the 2023-24 season under Xavi, playing almost every single league game and collecting five goals and five assists. He then played a pivotal role in Spain's 2024 Euros triumph and carried his form into the 2024/25 season, scoring 18 and setting up 25 more in 55 games across all competitions for Barcelona.

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Barcelona eye five departures ahead of start of 2025-26 season

ter Stegen is among candidates that could leave Barcelona.

Barcelona are keen on finding exit moves for five players as they look to alleviate their financial troubles. According to Spanish outlet Sport, Hansi Flick has earmarked Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Inaki Pena, Oriol Romeu, Pau Victor and one of the team's centre-backs to leave the club.

Ter Stegen and Pena are highly unlikely to receive any game time next season owing to the arrival of summer signing Joan Garcia. Further, Wojciech Szczesny's extension means he will be a solid backup to the 24-year-old.

Romeu spent the previous campaign on loan at Girona and now, Barcelona have made it clear that he does not have a future at the club. Flick already boasts multiple options over the veteran in the centre of the park and minutes may be scarce for him. A similar case is on the cards for Pau Victor, who could only manage 379 minutes of action last season.

Finally, a reduction in the number of central defensive options is also expected. Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez are the first-choice options, meaning Ronald Araujo or Andreas Christensen could be on the chopping block.

Edited by Nived Zenith