Liverpool target Gavi does not want Barcelona exit

Barcelona star Gavi to stay in Catalonia amid Liverpool links

Liverpool FC’s hopes of securing the services of young midfielder Gavi seem to have taken a hit, as it has been claimed that the player has no plans of leaving Barcelona on a free transfer.

The 18-year-old saw himself linked with a move to Liverpool, along with Manchester City, after it reports that his first-team contract with Barca had not yet taken effect, leaving him available on a free transfer this summer.

90min via Liverpool Echo claim that even though the contract situation isn’t in place yet, Gavi does not intend to move on from his childhood club and wants to stay at Barcelona for as long as possible.

Barcelona star Gavi is a Liverpool transfer target. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Gavi disappointment for the Reds

This news will come as a disappointment for Liverpool, who will look into the market for midfield reinforcements this summer after a certainly lacklustre season in the middle of the park.

Gavi has emerged as a highly-rated prospect at Barcelona and has already made 83 appearances for the club’s first team across all competitions. His technical ability and vision have drawn comparisons with Barca legend Xavi who is also his manager at the Catalan club presently, and his potential has caught the attention of several top European clubs.

While Liverpool may have been hopeful of securing Gavi’s signature, the player’s reported desire to remain at Barcelona suggests that any potential transfer will not be straightforward.

Liverpool and Manchester City's pursuit of Gavi is now complicated as the player does not want to move from Barcelona. — Liverpool and Manchester City’s pursuit of Gavi is now complicated as the player does not want to move from Barcelona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

With these complications, Liverpool will now have to trust their squad for the rest of the season and hopefully, get the best result possible from the remainder of the games in the season.

With the Reds knocked out of all other competitions, the Reds now obviously need to divert their entire attention towards securing a top-four finish in the league and strengthen their position to get their other ideal transfer targets for the summer.

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In the meantime, Liverpool will need to explore other options to bolster their midfield. The club’s struggles in the middle of the park have been easy to observe this season, and reinforcements will certainly stand as a pre-requisite if the Reds are to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title next season and beyond.