FC Barcelona received interest from Paris Saint-Germain about signing Gavi this summer.
FC Barcelona could have sold Gavi to Paris Saint-Germain after the Qatari-owned club registered interest in the Spain international earlier this summer according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Ligue 1 giants are now managed by former Spain boss Luis Enrique, who handed a 17-year-old Gavi his debut and then took him to the World Cup in Qatar wearing the number ‘9’ shirt.
Gavi’s contract situation has been the topic of much intrigue and concern depending on what side of the argument lie your priorities.
For Barca, there were light worries that not getting the fresh terms registered with La Liga might lead to one of the many top European outfits such as Chelsea, Bayern Munich or Liverpool snatching him away.
PSG weren’t linked with snapping Gavi up on a free transfer and instead, according to Mundo Deportivo asked Barca through an intermediary about how much it would cost to take him out of Catalonia.
The sports newspaper explains that president Joan Laporta and his board never contemplated offloading the Andalusian, however, as they consider him one of the best players in Xavi Hernandez’s squad.
If accurate, this report also defuses one from L’Equipe that Barca offered Gavi and Ousmane Dembele to PSG in exchange for Kylian Mbappe.
Missing preseason with a back injury, Gavi will now fight for minutes with the likes of new acquisition Ilkay Gundogan in midfield depending on what system Xavi opts for.
Last term, the youngster was pivotal when the Blaugrana went for a four midfielder approach that had Gavi operating as a false winger on the left flank.
After club football resumed following Qatar 2022, the set up proved highly successful in a Spanish Super Cup final win over Real Madrid where Gavi scored and provided two assists ahead of Barca roaring on to a first La Liga title in four years.
Instead of Gavi, PSG have had to focus on luring Ousmane Dembele who has been pushed by his agent to entertain a transfer for a €50 million ($55 million) sum of which the player’s camp believe they can pocket half.
On Tuesday evening, Gavi could play some part in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Tottenham Hotspur while a Dembele still training with Barca is frozen out to play no part.