Barcelona teenager Gavi is set to sign a new contract with his club, meaning Liverpool miss out on signing him for a bargain this summer.
That comes via Fabrizio Romano on Twitter. The journalist claims that the 17-year-old is preparing to sign a new deal until 2027.
Romano says that Barcelona met with Gavi’s agent just today, and negotiations are a ‘work in progress.’ The two party’s will reportedly be in contact again soon to put the ‘final details’ on the agreement.
The Reds were reportedly interested in signing Gavi this summer. His current deal contains a reported £45m release clause, which will no longer be in effect if a new contract is signed.
Liverpool miss out on the ‘phenomenon’
In truth, a move for Gavi looked like a little bit of a long-shot for Liverpool. Although The Reds were regularly mentioned in connection with a transfer, his heart always seemed set on staying with Barca.
Regardless, it would be a little bit of a shame to miss out on the availability of such a prodigious talent.
At just seventeen, Gavi is already an established midfielder for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Former Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp called him a ‘phenomenon’ upon watching him play for Spain via Sky Sports.
The reported release clause was obviously a lot to pay for a player with such limited experience. But in light of the potential that the player blatantly has, it would definitely have been the bargain of the summer.
Other irons in the fire
It’s important to note that there has been no official announcement regarding the extension. Until that happens, perhaps Liverpool will feel they still have an outside chance.
That looks just a matter of time away though. In the meantime, The Reds are reportedly pursuing other targets such as Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. Maybe they will also still look to get a deal done for Jude Bellingham in 2023, as reports suggest they will.
Should they tie both of those two up, they likely won’t mind all too much. Still though, not pushing harder for Gavi at such a low fee could look like a mistake a couple of years down the line.