Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola wants to sign Barcelona wonderkid Gavi and said the midfielder is ‘fantastic’, amid interest from Liverpool, it has been reported.
Gavi, 17, has enjoyed an impressive breakout year for Xavi’s side, making 47 appearances in all competitions. His contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 season and there is currently no progress over a new deal. The midfielder came through the famed La Masia academy and has also won nine caps for Spain.
Liverpool’s apparent interest in the teenager was reported earlier this month. Italian newspaper La Repubblica said that Gavi is delaying signing a new contract at the Camp Nou in light of interest from numerous European clubs, including the Reds.
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The report also stated that Barcelona president Joan Laporta is desperate to see the young star pen a new deal after an impressive breakout year for the club.
Further reports from Spanish source Sport added that Liverpool are willing to pay Gavi’s £43m release clause and offer him a much higher salary.
But it now appears Reds would face competition from Man City, along with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. Guardiola is an especially big fan of Gavi and was asked about him at a celebrity golf tournament in Mallorca. He said: “He is fantastic, just like Ansu Fati or Pedri. It shows that there is a lot of future and very good work in the youth system there [at Barcelona]."
Barcelona continue to struggle with their finances after the disastrous presidency of Josep Bartomeu. As a result, they are said to be struggling to meet Gavi’s rumoured demands. He is reportedly currently the lowest paid first-team player on £20,000 a week.
Nou Camp bosses have reportedly offered the teenager a pay rise to £33,000 per week. However, that is below the £77,000 Gavi is requesting, with an annual rise of £19,000 per year over the course of a four-year contract being demanded.
There is now a real fear at Barcelona that they may be losing one of their most promising talents.
Gavi would be a smart pick-up for the Reds and has received glowing reviews from across the footballing world.
This includes Barcelona legend and current full-back Dani Alves, who re-signed for the club in November. In April, speaking about Gavi’s impressive impact, he said: “Despite following Barca, I didn’t know him. He is a player with incredible quality who, moreover, has that point of competitive madness. He is more aggressive than Pedri. Without wanting to fire off too many rockets, I think that they are two players who can mark an era like Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta.”
