Manchester City set to rival Liverpool in race to sign Barcelona player - Reports
Manchester City are reportedly monitoring midfielder Gavi's situation at Barcelona, with Liverpool also interested in signing the youngster.
The 17-year-old's contract with the Spanish side expires in 2023 and a new contract hasn't been signed yet. As per the Mirror, the Blaugrana are struggling to meet Gavi's wage demands due to their financial struggles.
Gavi's game by numbers vs. Czech Republic:
100% long ball accuracy
100% shot accuracy
92% pass accuracy
25 passes
4 fouls won (most)
1 take-on completed
He came on in the 58th minute. 😳 https://t.co/cgGX7k0F9m
The Spaniard's current wages are £20,000 per week. He and his representatives are demanding £77,000 per week for the first year with an increment of £19,000 per year over four years. However, so far, Barcelona have offered only £33,000 per week.
Hence, multiple teams like Liverpool, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich are monitoring the Spain international's situation. As per the aforementioned Mirror report, City manager Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the youngster.
He praised Gavi during an interview at a celebrity golf tournament in Mallorca, saying:
"He is fantastic, just like Ansu Fati or Pedri. It shows that there is a lot of future and very good work in the youth system there."
However, despite the Blaugrana's financial troubles, Joan Laporta's recent statement could come as a disappointment to Manchester City and Liverpool. Barcelona's president said (via Fabrizio Romano):
“We are very close to reaching an agreement with Gavi to extend his contract. We are optimistic about the renewal of Gavi. We want him to continue at Barca."
The aforementioned Mirror report claims that the Spanish side need £450 million to avoid 'serious financial distress'. Hence, it would be interesting to see if they are able to meet the youngster's demands this summer.
Why are Manchester City and Liverpool interested in Barcelona midfielder Gavi?
The 17-year-old has built quite a name for himself in his short career so far. The Spaniard came through Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and made his debut for the club in the 2021-22 season. He played 46 matches for the senior side in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing six assists.
He also earned his first call-up for the Spanish national team in September 2021 and made his debut in the UEFA Nations League semi-final against Italy. Spain reached the finals but were beaten by France.
Gavi has so far made 10 appearances for his national side.
Spain's youngest-ever goalscorer...
🇪🇸 Spain's youngest-ever goalscorer...
Gavi 👏👏👏
#NationsLeague | @SeFutbol https://t.co/QlHRtGLf1L
It is no surprise that some of the biggest European clubs like Liverpool and Manchester are looking to secure his services.