Liverpool are preparing to pay the £42m release clause for Gavi. The 17-year-old is stalling for a contract renewal at Barcelona as he expects a bump in his wages, according to a report by El Nacional.
Barcelona have not offered Gavi the wage bump that he is seeking to renew his contract at Camp Nou. The teenage star’s release clause remains very tempting and attainable for Liverpool at the moment.
Although, the Catalan giants are desperate to keep the youngster as they see him as a vital part of their immediate future under head coach Xavier Hernandez. His current deal runs until next summer, but Barcelona would certainly try and keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.
Gavi’s Campaign for Barcelona this season
The young talent has seen significant playing time for the Catalan giants, scoring two goals and grabbing five assists over 26 appearances in the La Liga in his debut season. He has averaged 31.6 passes per game with a passing accuracy of 89.3% on all fronts. The 17-year-old has already debuted internationally for Spain holding the record for the youngest player in history to debut for the nation. Gavi has been called up to represent Spain for the World Cup Qualifiers this year, appearing twice already. (stats via Whoscored)
What Could Gavi Bring To Liverpool?
Barcelona, under Xavi, have long stretches of possession and attack through penetrating passes from high up the pitch. The coach wants the players to be in control of the game, which requires the team to have the ball on their side for the longest, attacking with a fast build-up play between the midfielders to create opportunities for the men upfront. Gavi shines in the role of distributing the ball to his teammates and creating opportunities through penetrating passes from the midfield to set up the attacking three in front of the goal.
Whereas, Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp plays a fast-paced, counter-pressing football that requires the players to be running continuously with an intense focus on retaining the possession of the ball. Klopp’s team forces the opposition to commit mistakes in their half. With the backline high up the pitch, the team looks to counter-attack in the blink of an eye, creating opportunities in front of the goal.
The Barcelona youngster under Jurgen Klopp would be required to make a lot of key passes in the final third when in the attack. He will also have to be sound defensively to retain possession of the ball immediately after losing it. The Spaniard can come off the bench to create opportunities for The Reds in matches where the opposition team is difficult to break. It would be a good bargain for Liverpool to invest in the young talent who has a lot going on for him.
