Barcelona complete Gavi registration with La Liga
By Tom Gott
Barcelona have finally completed the registration of Gavi's new contract with La Liga.
With his youth contract due to expire this summer, Gavi agreed a long-term extension with Barcelona last September but his deal could not be registered due to the club's financial concerns, which saw them banned from increasing their salary without first reducing it.
It made for an uncomfortable few months as Gavi technically edged towards the end of his contract, with a number of clubs from across Europe keeping a close eye on the situation just in case Barcelona could not finalise their agreement with the midfielder.
However, the saga is finally over as La Liga have now confirmed the registration of Gavi as a first-team player.
The 18-year-old's contract now runs until the summer of 2026 and contains a release clause of €1bn.
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Gavi has been formally handed the number six shirt which he wore temporarily during the season after he penned his extension. After La Liga ruled that he could not be registered as a first-team player, the teenager had to return to his previous number, 30.
Ending the uncertainty will be a huge relief for manager Xavi, who relied heavily on Gavi last season. The young midfielder managed 49 appearances in all competitions, including 30 La Liga starts, chipping in with three goals and seven assists.
Barcelona remain on a mission to lower their wages this summer. The departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will undoubtedly have helped but the Blaugrana are still expected to sell a handful of players to help their cause.
The plan had been to use a large chunk of any new-found salary to re-sign Lionel Messi, but after being unable to put together a formal offer in time, the Argentine opted to take his talents to Inter Miami instead.
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