PSG to begin post-Mbappe era with new Galactico from Barcelona

Stuart Telford

• 16 Feb 2024 12:33 GMT
• 3 min read

Paris Saint-Germain are moving fast to plug the gap that will be left with the Real Madrid-bound Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe has informed PSG of his desire to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to multiple reports.

No official announcement has been made, but a co-authored one from club and player is expected in due course.

Whilst Paris will not receive a transfer fee for a player valued at some €122.5 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, he will take one of the game's biggest ever pay packets with him, and they have deep pockets anyway.

And one of the first players on their summer shopping list is Gavi, Barcelona's former academy star who might be more available than is first apparent…

Gavi 'unsellable'?

"Gavi, 19, has been a long-term target for the Ligue 1 champions, who have included the midfielder on their transfer shortlist…" report The Athletic.

"Barcelona view Gavi as an 'unsellable' asset but the club's financial situation complicates [things] and it remains unclear if the player would be open to leave the Catalan club."

Barca remain more than €1 billion in debt after panic buying in the aftermath of Neymar's record €222 million move to PSG in 2017. Although Gavi is a club favourite, a big money transfer could prove difficult for them to turn down.

The 19-year-old was handed his Spain debut by PSG manager Luis Enrique in 2021 and he and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi are both understood to be admirers of the midfielder.

He is unlikely to represent his country at next summer's European Championships, however, after tearing his ACL whilst on international duty in November.

Gavi is valued at €83.5m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, with an ETV of €102.9m.