Gavi's Barcelona contract talks continue to stall

Robin Bairner

18 Jun 2022 10:07 BST
3 min read

Barcelona still have work to do in order to secure a new contract for midfielder Gavi, with key differences continuing to ensure no positive movement is imminent in the case.

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At 17 years old, Gavi was one of the few bright spots in what was a difficult 2021/22 season for the Catalans. He broke into the team and immediately established himself as a key figure, while on the international stage he shone in the Nations League finals with Spain.

This rapid rise to prominence has not been matched by his contract, which presently expires in June 2023.

A €50 million minimum fee release clause in his present deal means that he is vulnerable to being poached by one of Europe’s biggest clubs. Liverpool, for example, have an interest in him.

Although Gavi’s camp have stated that the player has no intention of activating his release clause, it is nevertheless cause to make Barcelona jumpy, particularly as it was expected that they would have reached an agreement last week.

Why has Gavi not signed a new deal?

Mundo Deportivo reports that the main stumbling block to an agreement between the two parties is over wages. Gavi’s agent Ivan de la Pena wants his client to receive a salary in relation to his status in the squad, but Barca are reportedly offering the player a wage of a footballer whose place is less consolidated in the team. The representatives of the player believe that he has already earned the right to be considered top level.

Progress is said to be being made towards an agreement, but it is painfully slow given the importance of Gavi to the future of Barcelona.

FootballTransfers already values the teenager at €37m, with this rapidly increasing as he gains more first-team exposure. This will be reflected in the new contract, in which Gavi will be given a release clause of €1 billion – effectively securing his future as a Barcelona player for the foreseeable future.