Barcelona yet to agree new contract with Gavi
By Tom Gott
Barcelona are yet to strike an agreement to renew the contract of young midfielder Gavi but remain confident they will eventually get a deal over the line.
The 17-year-old remains on the same contract he had during his days in the Barcelona academy and has just 18 months before that expires, and talks over an extension have been going on ever since his breakthrough earlier this year.
Gavi is rumoured to have a €50m release clause in his contract which has fuelled countless rumours of a transfer. While no stories have ever been particularly convincing, Gavi has seen his name linked to the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea.
Not only do Barcelona want to substantially increase this release clause, but their priority is to ensure that Gavi doesn't walk away for free in 2023. They've been trying to tie him down to a new deal, but Marca note that things are still stuck.
There had been confidence over an agreement earlier this season but the January acquisition of Ferran Torres has concerned several agents involved with the Barcelona squad. The Blaugrana paid £55m to sign Torres and are trying to sign Erling Haaland in a deal which will eclipse the £100m mark when all is said and done, but are looking to convince their players to accept lower contracts.
Gavi and his representatives are yet to agree to Barcelona's proposals, but their focus remains solely on signing an extension and they are not humouring offers from elsewhere at this moment in time.
Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Gavi, while Bayern Munich are also said to have inquired about the 17-year-old and rumours of interest from the Premier League continue to swirl without much evidence.
It's a similar situation to that of centre-back Ronald Araujo, who has already rejected a formal offer to extend his contract, which also expires in 2023. Araujo is prepared to accept a lower offer to stay at Barcelona but does not want to drop too far from his full value while several sides in England are willing to meet his demands.