Reports over the weekend suggested Liverpool were ready to give up on their pursuit of Barcelona star Gavi.
The Reds had at one stage looked willing to pay out his release clause of £42million (€50m) in order to bring him to Anfield, however, uncertainty in their decision had opened the door for Barcelona to negotiate new terms with the player without the distraction of interest from the Merseyside club.
If the 17-year-old does put pen to paper on a new deal, then his release clause is set to rise to £860m (€1bn), which is the same as his senior teammates who have recently agreed to fresh terms, players like Pedri, Ansu Fati, Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres.
Although still just a teenager, Gavi's performances this season have put him on Liverpool ’s radar. He looks to have an extremely high ceiling and the Reds were reminded of his ability and potential on Sunday when he became Spain’s youngest ever goalscorer.
He netted his side’s opening goal in their 2-2 draw with Czech Republic, and in doing so beat the previous record held by Barcelona teammate Fati to become Spain’s youngest ever goalscorer at the age of 17 years and 304 days.
Post-match, Spain boss Luis Enrique was full of praise for the young star, calling him the “complete" midfielder.
“Gavi doesn’t surprise me. People only see what he does without the ball in defence, but with the ball he is even better,” he said. “He will continue to score goals. The best thing about Gavi is that he is a complete player, defensively and offensively, with grit and technical quality.”
Barcelona boss Xavi has also spoken highly of the midfielder in the past and stated he’s “optimistic” the 17-year-old will stay at the club. However, legitimate Liverpool interest could change that.
Jurgen Klopp is looking to bolster his midfield this summer and fill the void set to be left by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is nearing the exit door. A number of Liverpool’s key midfielders are also reaching the end of their peak years, meaning bringing in the next generation will be a priority for new Sporting Director Julian Ward.
Gavi as a profile ticks many boxes from a Liverpool perspective. Without the ball, he’s tenacious and aggressive, much like Fabinho or Jordan Henderson. Yet with it, he’s got technical skill that could one day rival Thiago, able to play penetrative forward balls or dribble through pressure from opposition players.
He’s the ideal Klopp midfielder and Liverpool most likely won’t give up on him without a fight.
