Liverpool could be about to get their biggest bargain since Philippe Coutinho – Our View

By Charles Jones

Liverpool are set for a very exciting summer transfer window, and perhaps the most intriguing rumour that has emerged is surrounding Barcelona’s Gavi.

Indeed, the club is rumoured to be pursuing one of the most promising young talents in world football, Barcelona’s Gavi. The 18-year-old midfielder could well be available on a free transfer come the end of the season due to some complicated rules in La Liga regarding promoting youth talents to the first-team and the fact Barcelona aren’t allowed to register new signings at the moment.

Gavi has been making headlines since his Barcelona debut in 2021, quickly establishing himself as one of the brightest prospects in world football. He has been compared to both Xavi and Andres Iniesta, which is quite the comparison for a teenage player who has so many years ahead of him.

As many know, Liverpool’s midfield has been a cause of concern this season, with several of their key players struggling with injuries and a lack of form. Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have been way off the pace, while Thiago has, once again, struggled to maintain fitness consistently.

Liverpool’s recent success has been built on astute signings, such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson. However, signing Gavi could be the most shrewd of them all, as he has the potential to be a key player for the Reds for the next 15 years and he could be signed for absolutely nothing.

The young Spaniard has already shown that he can handle the pressure of playing for a big club, as he has featured regularly for Barcelona this season. He has also impressed on the international stage, scoring one of the goals of the tournament at the World Cup.

Furthermore, Gavi’s style of play is tailor-made for Liverpool’s system. His high work-rate, tactical intelligence and ability to operate in tight spaces make him a perfect fit for Jurgen Klopp’s pressing game, while his technical ability will add a new layer of creativity to the team as well.

In terms of Liverpool’s recent bargain signings, the closest comparison to Gavi would be Philippe Coutinho, who was signed from Inter Milan in 2013. Like Gavi, Coutinho was a highly rated youngster with a lot of potential, and Liverpool managed to get him for a snip at £8m, before selling him on for a huge £142m record fee.

Gavi at £0 would be an even bigger bargain that Coutinho. After all, CIES value him at €180m (£160m) so, eventually, the Reds could end up making an even bigger profit on Gavi than they did with Coutinho.

Landing a world-class midfielder on a free who plays in your biggest problem position is almost a perfect signing, and if this one goes through, Liverpool could well land their biggest bargain ever here.