Barcelona midfielder Gavi is reportedly set to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Blaugrana on Thursday.
The 18-year-old has already established himself as a regular for club and country at his tender age after bursting onto the scene at Camp Nou last season.
Gavi turned out 46 times for La Blaugrana in all competitions in 2021-22, during which he registered two goals and six assists from 33 outings in La Liga.
Xavi has retained his faith in Gavi this season, and the teenager has started all five of Barca's games in La Liga so far, with Barcelona taking 13 points from a possible 15.
The midfielder's rapid rise has also seen him become an integral part of Luis Enrique's Spain squad, earning 10 caps already and scoring his first goal against the Czech Republic in the Nations League last month.
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Barcelona have understandably been desperate to tie Gavi down to a new contract at Camp Nou, as he is currently due to become a free agent at the end of the season.
With La Blaugrana facing continued financial difficulties, both Liverpool and Bayern Munich are said to have been keeping a close eye on Gavi's situation if he fails to commit himself to a new deal.
However, Spanish outlet Sport now claims that Gavi is poised to sign his new long-term deal until 2026 on Thursday following Barcelona's trip to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The report explains how the availability of president Joan Laporta has been a key factor in deciding the date for a renewal, and Gavi could then be presented on the Camp Nou field like a new signing.
Following confirmation of his new four-year deal, Gavi would supposedly showcase his skills on the Camp Nou turf in front of the media, as was the case with Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso.
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Since joining from Real Betis' academy in 2015 and rising through the Masia youth ranks, Gavi has already made 53 senior appearances for Barcelona and is expected to be in the Spain squad for the 2022 World Cup.
The youngster has been primarily deployed alongside Pedri and Sergio Busquets in Xavi's midfield this term, leaving Franck Kessie and Frenkie de Jong to fight for opportunities on the bench.
De Jong has been an ever-present in Barcelona's midfield since joining from Ajax in 2019, but the emergence of Gavi and Pedri has seen him lose his place in the first XI after a protracted summer transfer saga.
The Netherlands international managed to resist strong interest from Manchester United to stay at Barcelona, but the Red Devils are reportedly still keeping an eye on his playing situation at Camp Nou.
A recent report claimed that De Jong - alongside Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique - could even be offloaded by Barcelona in January, with the Catalan club still needing to make some big-money sales in order to balance the books.
Ben Knapton
