Gavi signs new long-term Barcelona contract featuring €1bn release clause as Joan Laporta locks down another major asset

The 20-year-old playmaker had been working on terms through to 2026, but has agreed to extend those for a further four years. An asking price that is intended to scare any would-be suitors away remains in place from his previous contract.

Gavi’s deal mirrors that recently completed by close friend and midfield partner Pedri. Barca have also been able to put extensions in place for rising defensive star Gerard Martin and commanding Uruguayan centre-half Ronald Araujo.

Gavi has become the latest to put pen to paper, with Barca saying on the club’s official website: "The Andalusian has literally been with Barça for half his life. It was a decade ago now in 2015, when he left Real Betis to join La Masia, and he has grown as a blaugrana both personally and as a footballer. His debut with the first team came on 29 August 2021, not long after he had turned 17, and it was clear that nothing would faze him from day one.

"Gavi has character and drive in abundance, which he combines with great technique, defensive awareness and goalscoring ability, with his nine goals to date testament to just that."

Gavi has rediscovered his best form after recovering from knee ligament damage that kept him sidelined for almost a year. He may not be the last senior star to sign a new deal in Catalonia, with Barca still hoping to keep Inigo Martinez around beyond the expiration of his contract in the summer.