Gavi signs new long-term Barcelona contract

Robin Bairner

Updated: 14 Sept 2022 11:26 BST
3 min read

Barcelona have announced that Gavi has signed a new deal with the club that will run until 2026.

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Barca were keen to push through a deal for the youngster owing to the €50 million release clause in his previous deal that had made him a target for several of Europe's biggest clubs.

As such, Gavi has been handed an improved contract that boasts a €1 billion release clause.

Barcelona have announced that they will be holding a renewal event at Camp Nou on Thursday to celebrate the new contract, with free tickets available to the club's supporters.

Why Barcelona have had to be patient

A deal has been in place since July, but the club had to wait for Gavi to turn 18, which he did in early August, before putting this agreement in place. Furthermore, they also needed to wait for Miralem Pjanic to move to UAE side Sharjah to free up wages to allow the deal to be concluded legally under Financial Fair Player (FFP).

Gavi becomes the seventh Barcelona player to be given a minimum fee release clause of €1bn, with this figure also placed on the head of fellow La Masia graduate Ansu Fati.

Pedri, who arrived from Las Palmas, is part of this group, while Ronald Araujo is another long-standing member of the squad to be given this honour.

In addition, 2022 signings Ferran Torres, Raphinha and Jules Kounde also have that big release clause in their contracts.

Gavi has justified this decision from Barcelona by making a spectacular breakthrough over the course of the last year. Indeed, he only made his debut on 29 August, 2021 against Getafe, but has since established himself as a key member of Xavi's squad.

Furthermore, Gavi is also established as a Spain international now. He shone in the Nations League finals against Italy and France, while he also became the youngest player ever to score for his country.

Although Barcelona have made a string of high-profile signings this summer, tying Gavi down to a new deal is as important a piece of business as any they have done.