Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Catalans plan Gavi renewal, club face Diogo Costa competition, and more - November 2, 2024
Barcelona are putting together final preparations ahead of their LaLiga tie against Espanyol on Sunday, November 3, at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Hansi Flick's men arrive at the game sitting comfortably at the top of the league table after 11 games.
Meanwhile, the Catalans are planning to extend Gavi's stay at Camp Nou. Elsewhere, the Spanish giants will face competition in their attempts to sign Diogo Costa.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from November 2, 2024.
Barcelona plan Gavi renewal
Barcelona are planning to tie Gavi down to a new deal, according to SPORT. The Spanish midfielder is under contract at Camp Nou until 2026 and is highly rated at the club.
Gavi rose through the ranks with the Catalans before exploding into the scenes in 2021. He subsequently won the Kopa Trophy in 2022 and was already hailed as a future great.
Unfortunately, the 20-year-old picked up an ACL injury last season and has to spend a long time on the sidelines. He only recently returned to action for the LaLiga giants, who are looking to ease him into action.
Barcelona continue to hold him in high regard and are already planning to tie him down to a new deal until 2030. The Catalans have reached out to the player's agent, Ivan de la Pena, to discuss the matter.
It is believed that the player also wants to stay, so a renewal could be a relatively straightforward affair. Gavi has already appeared 114 times for the LaLiga giants and is considered by many as a future Barcelona captain.
Catalans face Diogo Costa competition
Barcelona will face competition from Chelsea for the services of Diogo Costa, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Catalans are in the market for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen's long-term replacement and found their man in Costa.
However, the Portuguese also has admirers at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are unimpressed by the performances of Robert Sanchez and see Costa as an upgrade. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have reportedly identified the Porto man as a replacement for Manuel Neuer.
The player is under contract with the Portuguese side until 2027 and reportedly has a €75 million release clause in his deal. However, the club are willing to let Costa go for €40-50 million. Interestingly, the LaLiga giants enjoy a close relationship with Jorge Mendes, the player's agent, which could work to their advantage in this race.
Fermin Lopez wants to retire at Camp Nou
Fermin Lopez would like to stay his entire career at Barcelona. The Spanish midfielder has earned admirers at multiple clubs across Europe following a stellar 2023-24 campaign.
Recent reports have suggested that Arsenal, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) all have him on their radar. However, the Catalans recently tied him down to a new deal until 2029, ending all speculation regarding his future.
Speaking recently to Jijantes, the 21-year-old insisted that he is living a dream at Camp Nou.
“It was impossible to imagine what I am experiencing. It is a dream. I have a lot left, I must continue working. It has been an incredible summer. I have won titles with the national team, and now I want to start winning them with Barça," said Lopez.
He continued:
“I am at the best club in the world. At no point did I think about leaving. It is normal to have good competition. If it were up to me, I would retire at Barça."
Lopez has appeared six times across competitions this season for Barcelona, registering two assists.