Gavi signs new Barcelona contract with €1bn release clause

Spanish teenager is already a key player for both club and country

Barcelona manager Xavi has described Gavi as the 'heart' of his team. AFP

Barcelona teenager Gavi has signed a contract extension until 2026 that includes a release clause of €1 billion.

The Spanish midfielder was given his Barca first-team debut by then manager Ronald Koeman against Getafa in La Liga in August 2021 aged 17 years and 24 days, making him the fourth youngest in the club's history.

He became the youngest player ever to play for Spain after being named in Luis Enrique's starting XI in the win against Italy in the Nations League in October 2021, aged 17 years and 62 days.

He broke the record held by Angel Zubieta Redondo, who donned the Spain jersey for the first time in 1936 aged 17 years and 284 days.

“He can be the future of this team, but he can also be its present too because he has the personality to play at this level,” said Enrique after the match.

Gavi scored his first goal for the Catalan giants two months later during a 3-2 win over Elche, which made him the third youngest goalscorer for Barca.

By June 2022, he had become the national team's youngest scorer, finding the net against Czech Republic in June – aged 17 years and 304 days – breaking the record set in 2020 by his Barca teammate Ansu Fati.

Bayern Munich 2 Barcelona 0: player ratings

BAYERN MUNICH RATINGS: Manuel Neuer 6 – Made some good saves but had a moment of fear after gifting the ball to Lewandowski after 13 minutes. Getty Images

Dayot Upamecano 8 – An impressive performance from the young centre-back who stood up well in a physical battle against Lewandowski. Getty Images

Lucas Hernandez 7 – Lost Alonso to head home past Ter Stegen for the opening goal. Reuters

Benjamin Pavard 5 – Forced off with a thigh injury after 21 minutes following a collision with Alonso in the opening stages. AFP

Alphonso Davies 8 – An all-round performance from the flying full-back, who showed blistering pace to propel his side forward and get back and deny the Barcelona counterattack. EPA

Joshua Kimmich 8 – Superb delivery from the corner for Hernandez’s opener and ensured his former teammate Lewandowski would not get a goal in the final minute with a vital intervention. AFP

Marcel Sabitzer 6 – Came close with an effort that crept wide at the half-hour mark. The Austrian was unlucky to be booked after a 50-50 with Busquets in the first half. AP Photo

Leroy Sane 7 – Rolled the ball past Ter Stegen after 53 minutes to score the second goal of the night. The German was unhappy to be substituted after 80 minutes, despite his team’s performance. AFP

Jamal Musiala 7 – The 19-year-old was at ease in the second half and produced a perfectly weighted pass to assist Sane for the second goal. The young midfielder could have shown more composure with his finishing. AFP

Sadio Mane 5 – A subdued performance from the Senegal international, with few chances falling his way and he was replaced by Gnabry after 70 minutes. EPA

Thomas Muller 6 – Had a good game in midfield, but arguably a quiet night by the German’s standards. Reuters

SUBS: Noussair Mazraoui (Pavard, 21) – A strong cameo after coming on to replace the injured Pavard. Had a decent effort from outside the box saved at the half-hour mark. AFP

Leon Goretzka (Sabitzer, 46) 7 – A much-needed dominating presence in the middle of the park following his introduction at half time, and a strike on the edge of the area was matched by Ter Stegen. AP Photo

Serge Gnabry (Mane, 70) N/A. AFP

Ryan Gravenberch (Musiala, 80) N/A. AFP

Mathys Tel (Sane, 80) N/A. Getty Images

BARCELONA RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 6 - Back home in Germany against a side who’ve drawn their last three Bundesliga games. Easy save from a 26th minute effort from Mazraoui. Dived to his right to save from Muller on 49, but then beaten twice in three minutes, which meant he was on the losing side for the first time this season. AFP

Marcos Alonso 7 – A surprise start ahead of Jordi Alba. Touched the ball more than any other player on the pitch but he didn’t track Hernandez, who put Bayern ahead from Kimmich a corner on 50 minutes. That set his team back and they never recovered. EPA

Andreas Christensen 6 – Started ahead of Eric Garcia, who replaced him on 70 minutes as Xavi continued his rotations. There’s two thoughts on this: a top side should have a stable defence. And a top side needs to rotate players. The jury is out with Barcelona’s defence under Xavi. EPA

Ronald Araujo 6 - Fine in the first half, like his team, then Barça’s defence were undone twice and the attack stopped attacking in the second half after Bayern found their stride. AP Photo

Jules Kounde 6 - Couldn’t get near Sane, who burst between defenders, to score Bayern’s second. This Barcelona squad have some great players, but they’re still coming together as a team. AFP

Sergio Busquets 6 - A knock on the mouth from Musiala but central to Barcelona’s best first half in Europe for a long time. Good battle between him and Musiala. Booked. AFP

Pedri 7 - Shot on target after 8 minutes was brilliant, but his moment came after 62 when he ran though the Bayern defence and received a ball which he clipped over Neuer and onto the post. Reuters

Gavi 6 - Set up Lewandowski on 18 minutes, tracked Mane throughout. Brought off just after Bayern made it 30 games unbeaten in Champions League group games. AFP

Ousmane Dembele 7 - Lively for a side who made nine attempts on goal in the first 30 minutes. Brought down on the edge of the box on 43 minutes. Outrageous skill as he drifted past players on 67. AP Photo

Robert Lewandowski 6 - Central to Barça’s first quality attack on eight minutes. The man with nine goals in his last five games should’ve scored having been set up by Gavi on 17 and again with a header on 18. You have to take your chances. In the stadium where he was loved for so long, he didn’t. Not his night. Getty Images

Raphinha 7 - Wrapped his foot around the ball to make a low drive on 25 having been set up by Lewandowski. Made a similar shot immediately after half time, before being brought off. AFP

SUBS: Frenkie de Jong 6 - On for Gavi after 60 and set up Lewandowski with on 66. Moved well. EPA

Ferran Torres 7 - On for Raphinha after an hour. Linked up well with Lewandowski, but without any end result. Had a shot deflected wide on 86. AFP

Ansu Fati N/A - On for Dembele on 80. Ran into a crowd of Bayern defenders and couldn’t get a shot off on 85. EPA

Franck Kessie NA - On for Busquets after 80 to add energy to a tiring side. AFP

The 18-year-old has started in all of Barcelona's matches this season, with the club currently second in La Liga behind Real Madrid.

Gavi, who has played for the club since 2015 and was already under contract until 2023, will officially sign his new contract on Thursday in an open event at Camp Nou.

After Barca's recent 3-0 La Liga win at Sevilla, current manager Xavi hailed Gavi as the “heart” of his team after a standout performance from the Las Masia graduate.

“It doesn’t surprise me, I see him train every day,” said Xavi. “It’s down to hard work, discipline and heart. He was the best player in the game, because of his intensity, fight, passing, high pressing – he has heart in his legs.”

There was disappointment for Gavi and Barca in the Champions League on Tuesday night, though, when they were beaten 2-0 by Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

It was a night to forget for striker Robert Lewandowski, who left the Bavarians for Barca during the summer.