Why Barcelona shouldn't fear Liverpool's 'interest' in Gavi
Cameron Smith
- 19 Apr 2022 18:03 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona wonderkid Gavi is yet to renew his contract at the club, but the Blaugrana shouldn't fear interest from Europe's biggest clubs just yet.
Gavi doesn't turn 18 until August, but he's already one of the hottest properties in world football.
Similar to team-mate Pedri, he's experienced a sharp and dramatic rise to prominence with his Barca senior debut coming only this season. His first senior Spain cap came just a few short months later, and only one month after making his debut for his national team's U18 side.
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He is already a crucial part of Xavi's team at the Camp Nou with 40 appearances in all competitions so far this campaign.
However, his contract at the club expires next year, which has caused much speculation about his future.
Sport have reported that talks over a new contract between the club and the player were halted by director of football Mateu Alemany, and that an agreement hasn't been made.
The reports details that talks will restart again soon, but that Gavi's representatives believe Barca won't offer a fair deal despite the midfielder's importance to the team.
It's understood that Gavi is happy at the Camp Nou and is willing to sign a new contract, but it's up to Barcelona to begin negotiations again.
While this has been happening, interest has been growing in Gavi as he continues to prove himself on the pitch. The young Spaniard has contributed to eight league goals this season and his form has caught the eye of some big European teams.
Which clubs could Gavi sign for?
Sport report that Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are interested, but Liverpool are said to be especially keen.
Gavi currently has a release clause of €50 million and Jurgen Klopp's team are understood to be keen to activating that and adding Gavi to their ranks.
With James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara all older than 30, Gavi would add some youth into the Liverpool midfield and future-proof that area of the pitch alongside the likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.
However, Barcelona don't need to worry just yet. Liverpool will need to shift midfield options first due to a large number of players in Gavi's position, which will give the Spanish side time to agree a deal with the 17-year-old.
Furthermore, Ronald Araujo's future was also questioned recently, with Premier League teams reportedly interested in his services, but those rumours have quietened despite the fact his contract still expires in 2023.
With the project under Xavi looking promising, as a homegrown player, Gavi will likely want to be a leading part of Barcelona's return to the top of European football, so alarm bells shouldn't be ringing just yet in regards to his potential departure.
