Gavi deserves better, doesn’t he?
News broke this week that La Liga will return Gavi’s status to that of a Barcelona academy player in the latest chapter of a long-running legal dispute over the registration of the new contract he agreed in September.
The 18-year-old Spain midfielder will still be able to play as normal for Barca, but it is a significant development that means a release clause allowing him to leave for nothing this summer now comes back into effect.
Advertisement
Barcelona have told The Athletic they intend to take further legal action on the matter, and given his supreme talent, it is likely they will conjure a solution. But that possibility of him leaving on a free will surely have rung a few alarm bells around Europe.
As a fun exercise, we asked a selection of our club reporters to imagine pitching for Gavi to join them…
If you have to leave Barcelona then where better than Manchester City (apart from the sunshine and the beach)?
City like Gavi, which is no surprise because of his quality and playing style, and they can make the very attractive pitch of having the right manager and as close as you can get to a guarantee of winning trophies regularly.
Not only have you got the Pep Guardiola factor, meaning his tempo-setting style can be nurtured by somebody who fully cherishes its subtleties, but City could really need those types of players this summer.
Ilkay Gundogan’s contract expires and he could even join Barca, while Bernardo Silva remains open to an exit, meaning that Guardiola could lose two of his top ‘pausa’ players, those who dictate the pace of matches and allow the more direct players, like Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, to wreak their havoc.
It’s a perfect match.
Sam Lee
Dear Gavi,
Ever since the news broke about the ruling I’ve been transporting rocks to Anfield to create a huge ‘S.O.S, HELP’ message on the pitch in the hope you see it.
You’ve probably noticed Liverpool’s midfield hasn’t been great. Let’s be frank, desperation levels are high heading into the summer. We need something. We need anything. We need YOU (and Jude Bellingham).
Signing Bellingham might be looking more unlikely, but just forget about that for a second. We’re still in the hunt. Picture it; Gavi and Jude, the heartbeat of the midfield. You would have the Anfield crowd purring with the combination of dynamism and technical quality.
Gavi, who has won 17 international caps, is the future of Spain’s midfield (Photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images)Even if we don’t get Bellingham, you would be the sole centerpiece of the rebuild, and because you wouldn’t cost anything, investment in supporting you can be sorted. You can tell us who to buy if you want — a midfield shaped to suit you… although we probably do need to finish fourth.
Advertisement
But don’t worry, if there is no Champions League football next season, you’ll spearhead us back into it.
You get to play for Jurgen Klopp, feeding Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. Mouthwatering doesn’t begin to describe it.
Please… save us.
Andy Jones
There’s no sugar-coating the fact that Chelsea’s new era under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital has got off to a rough start. Despite more than £600million in outlay on transfer fees over two transfer windows, Champions League qualification this season rests on the relatively unlikely prospect of head coach Graham Potter delivering the trophy itself.
But if Gavi is prepared to take a longer-term view — and at 18, time is very much on his side — a different picture emerges. Chelsea have assembled too much elite talent over the past eight months to remain in this position forever. Whether it happens under Potter or someone else, a serious domestic and European contender will emerge at Stamford Bridge sooner or later.
Playing alongside Enzo Fernandez should be at least as tantalising a prospect as partnering with Pedri for the next decade, and beyond him there are hugely talented teenagers Carney Chukwuemeka, Andrey Santos and Cesare Casadei waiting in the wings.
That is as formidable a young midfield core as can be found anywhere in Europe — and if recent history is anything to go by, Boehly and Clearlake will push aggressively to keep strengthening.
Liam Twomey
Paris Saint-Germain
Gavi in Paris.
It has a nice ring to it. As does a free transfer between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. They tend to work out well. Just look at all the Ligue 1 titles Lionel Messi is collecting.
Admittedly, there is a bit of flux right now at PSG. The annual post-Champions League exit rethink is in full swing. There are question marks everywhere, from Kylian Mbappe to Messi to Sergio Ramos and coach Christophe Galtier. Knowing the direction of travel for the project longer term would probably help this sales pitch. But them’s the breaks.
Advertisement
There has been a push towards youth and potential though, such as signing Vitinha and the emergence of Warren Zaire-Emery. Maintaining that trajectory and building around Mbappe would be sensible and attractive too. Gavi would be a perfect addition. A future midfield of him and Zaire-Emery, 17, would be formidable.
PSG will be on the lookout for a long-term successor to Verratti (Photo: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty ImagesThere is also Marco Verratti, now 30. He still has years left at the top, but longer term, Gavi’s fight and style make him an ideal successor. Luis Enrique once remarked that Verratti was in fact Gavi’s idol. So why not join him in his prime, as the heir to his throne?
Peter Rutzler
My brother, Pablo Martín Paez Gavira… Can I call you Pablo Martín Paez Gavira?
You are a superb footballing individual. You dare to dream with your play. They say you are a teenager, but everyone who watches you play knows that you are already a man.
I must also say, everyone who watches you play knows that you are a pitbull of a football player. You’re too feisty to be limited to La Liga. Too battle ready to be confined to Barcelona. El Clasico is amazing, yes, but you are needed in the blood and thunder of the Premier League. You are needed to be the feisty midfield general Manchester United have needed since Roy Keane left in 2005.
Casemiro is already beloved by the fans here. Imagine you fighting with him. Manchester does not have beaches like Barcelona, but we do have the Arndale Centre and the People’s Museum.
Come to Manchester. Unleash the pitbull inside. We love it when a player gets a passionate yellow card up here.
Carl Anka
Bayern Munich
Bayern love Gavi. The German champions tried to sign the 18-year-old in the summer, having failed to capture Pedri two years earlier. But Barcelona prevailed a second time. They pointedly announced Gavi’s contract extension (including a purported €1billion release clause) the day after the Catalans were beaten 2-0 at Allianz Arena in the Champions League group stage.
Advertisement
A €1bn fee might have been even beyond Bayern’s oft-cited “savings account” holdings — it’s more myth than reality — but Hasan Salihamidzic will surely give it another go should the midfielder really become a free agent.
Finances aside, it wouldn’t be an easy pitch. Bayern don’t have an obvious starting space in the middle of park.
Germany internationals Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are still very much in their prime, as is new addition Konrad Laimer, who will arrive from Leipzig this summer. Bayern also have the highly-talented Ryan Gravenberch, 20, at their disposal, and wunderkind Jamal Musiala has shown himself adept at playing in a deeper role, too.
But all five are very attack-minded and rather direct, which begs the question whether Bayern could do with a midfielder of a different type. Since Thiago’s departure, they haven’t had someone to slow down the tempo in the centre.
Julian Nagelsmann, a Guardiolista at heart, would surely love Gavi to change Bayern’s rhythm. A teenage Spaniard dictating play at Germany’s biggest club would be quite a sight.
Raphael Honigstein
The decision should be simple for Gavi. After all, he need look no further than Bruno Guimaraes for inspiration.
When the Brazilian joined Newcastle and declared he would turn the club into a “world power” and was looking to win the Champions League on Tyneside, the doubters scoffed. Inside 14 months, however, he has turned Newcastle from relegation fodder into Carabao Cup finalists and top-four contenders.
OK, granted, his outlandish claims are still a work in progress, but Guimaraes has also been elevated by Eddie Howe to the extent that he is now among the most-coveted midfielders on the planet. Both Howe and Guimaraes can help take Gavi’s game on to another level, one he has yet to reach with Barcelona (Xavi, not unfairly, may argue he knows a thing or two about midfield play, but surely Gavi needs to widen his horizons and experience football beyond Catalonia).
Advertisement
With Howe repeatedly stressing that FFP will continue to restrict Newcastle’s spending going forward, signing a world-class talent on a free would certainly help stretch their summer recruitment drive further. Given Gavi is only 18, it’ll also reduce the average age of their squad as desired.
It’s a win-win all round, really…
Chris Waugh
SPOILER: This is very, very, very, very unlikely and is meant as a bit of fun.
Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets… Barcelona idols who have always had plenty of admiration from the Santiago Bernabeu. At one point or another, all were considered as transfer targets by Real Madrid. And why shouldn’t that be the case for you, Gavi?
We could start by giving you the No 7 shirt, with Eden Hazard’s permission. You are one of those insufferable players that players and fans would far rather have on their side than against them. You’re a warrior, and as long as you leave your skin on the pitch, you’d be the delight of the pro-Madridista, who would jump out of their seats to defend your honour.
Luis Figo made the controversial move to join Real Madrid from Barcelona in 2000 (Photo: Firo Foto/Getty Images)It’s true, you haven’t started off on the best foot after your brawls in the last few Clasicos, but as soon as the sweet melody of the Champions League (do you remember it?) sounds, Dani Ceballos, Toni Kroos or Vinicius Junior would be on your side.
All your previous allegiances could be forgotten — a few titles would convince even the most ardent Real fans of your talent and worth.
Guillermo Rai
Arsenal have a taste for Spanish midfield maestros.
From Cesc Fabregas to Santi Cazorla, there’s often been a space for a Spaniard to occupy that space over the past 15-20 years. It may be lucky for Gavi that one of them (Mikel Arteta) is leading the club’s Premier League revolution.
Both were raised in La Masia but Arteta and Arsenal may be an attractive proposition beyond that. Midfield is still an area that has room to evolve at Emirates Stadium. Despite Granit Xhaka’s revival this season, the 30-year-old will soon require a successor who is more comfortable in advanced areas.
Advertisement
The 18-year-old Gavi could be that for seasons to come — if he wanted.
Trusting youth if they are good enough is woven into Arsenal’s DNA. Bukayo Saka is the prime example in the current squad, which is among the youngest in the league.
Arsenal’s youthful exuberance mixed with maturity is taking them places. Jump aboard if you want to enjoy the ride rather than watch from afar.
Art de Roche
Any suitable suitors in Italy?
Mention Gavi in Italy and they probably think you’re talking about the dry white wine produced in parts of Liguria and Piedmont.
Juventus revel in a free transfer and in terms of age and upside it would draw comparison with signing Paul Pogba the first time around. The micro-issue is we don’t know if Juventus will be in the Champions League next year and while Adrien Rabiot is expected to leave for nothing in the summer and Leandro Paredes likely to head back to PSG, the club has Manuel Locatelli and an abundance of academy graduates in midfield, not to mention Nicolo Rovella returning from Monza.
Milan need an upgrade of Sandro Tonali whose skill set is — here’s a provocative argument — better suited to right-back. Inter on the other hand have practically an entire team entering the final year of its contract. The owner’s debt position makes uber-talented freebies a necessity.
As for Napoli, who knows if a Scudetto and Champions League double and a good word from Rafa Benitez, Pepe Reina, Raul Albiol, Jose Callejon and Fabian Ruiz goes a long way.
On a macro level, Serie A will struggle to compete with Barca and the Premier League.
James Horncastle
Barcelona
Please can you just stay.
Nobody at Barcelona wants to even entertain the idea of you playing for another club next season.
Yes, the contract situation has been a bit of a mess, but we can patch things up and get back to how we were. We’ll get you that No 6 shirt again too, we promise.
Advertisement
Your mate Pedri is here and you two are the future of this club, Gavi. Hopefully UEFA will let us play in the Champions League, too.
We are ready to go to war (with La Liga) for you, Gavi. That should mean something… shouldn’t it?
Pol Ballus
(Photos: Getty Images; design: Sam Richardson)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k2xqcmpma3xzfJFsZmlrX2eBcLPAr6BmmpGnsKa4zqeYZp6imrJuwNGapayelad6tMHMppyrZw%3D%3D