According to Spanish newspaper El Nacional, Chelsea is ready to make a move for Barcelona midfield sensation Gavi (via The Hard Tackle).
Gavi is a La Masia youth system product. After impressing during pre-season earlier this summer, the 17-year-old midfielder has been integrated into the Barcelona first team. Despite his young age, Gavi has established himself as a first-team regular, having made 11 appearances this season.
Chelsea is interested in signing the 17-year-old midfielder and is willing to pay his €50 million release clause, according to the source mentioned above. It’s worth noting that Gavi is still on Barcelona B’s payroll. When he joins the first-team squad, his release clause will be increased to €100 million.
On the other hand, Barcelona is aware of the talent at its disposal and is currently negotiating a new contract with the 17-year-old. According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona is willing to offer Gavi a new long-term contract with a €1 billion release clause.
On the other hand, Chelsea is looking to add depth to their midfield. While on loan from Atletico Madrid, Saul Niguez has failed to impress Tuchel, and the likes of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are not getting any younger. Aurelien Tchouameni of AS Monaco has also been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. Gavi would be a valuable addition to any team he joins. The 17-year-old midfielder has also impressed while on international duty with Spain, and he is a strong contender for a spot in the final squad for the 2022 World Cup. As of now, Gavi has four caps for the Spanish national team.
Chelsea and Barcelona have some of the best youth systems in the world.
Chelsea and Barcelona have some of the best youth academies in the world. Both academies have produced some of the finest young talents of the current generation.
La Masia has long been regarded as the pinnacle of football academies. In the past, Barcelona’s academy has produced Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Recent academy graduates include Ansu Fati, Gavi, Nico Gonzalez, and Riqui Puig.
Chelsea’s youth system has had similar success. Mason Mount, Reece James, Tammy Abraham, Billy Gilmour, Valentino Livramento, and Conor Gallagher are among the recent Blues greats.
Chelsea, unlike Barcelona, is not known for giving young players first-team opportunities. However, that narrative is slowly changing with the emergence of Mount, James, Abraham, and Hudson-Odoi, who have all been given regular first-team opportunities.
