Napoli open talks for Gavi as Barcelona set a price of around €40m

The 2004-born Spain midfielder has played just 191 minutes this season, and Arena Napoli understands Hansi Flick would not stand in the way of a January exit.

by Rosaria CimminoMonday 2 November, 17:05 CET· 18 hours ago

Gavi per gennaio: il Barcellona chiede circa 40 milioni e Flick non si opporrebbe all'addio — Grafica Arena Napoli

Napoli have opened talks with Barcelona over Gavi. The Spanish club have set his value at around €40m.

Not long ago Gavi, a midfielder born in 2004, was untouchable at Barcelona. Now he is on the fringes. He has played just 146 minutes in La Liga and 45 in the Champions League, and a bruised knee in August held back his fitness. Hansi Flick no longer sees him as a first choice. Arena Napoli understands that Flick would not oppose a sale as early as January.

The reason is simple: Barcelona's midfield is crowded. Rodri arrived in the summer, won Flick over straight away and now forms the first-choice pair in front of the defence with Pedri. Behind them are Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, who has started fast with 5 goals and 5 assists, Frenkie de Jong and the club's young players. That leaves Gavi with scraps of matches.

In the summer he turned down Manchester United to fight for his place in Catalonia. Now leaving is a real possibility.

Napoli have moved decisively. The plan is to give Allegri a signing of international standing to cover the injuries in midfield.

The midfield we know

Those injuries are plain to see. Lobotka is out, with a return pencilled in for the end of December. De Bruyne went off at half-time in Turin with a sprained ankle. Anguissa's contract runs out in June 2027. These are facts, not our opinions, and they explain why the board is looking at that part of the squad.

That leaves the question every fan is asking: is €40m a lot or a little for a player who has managed 191 minutes across La Liga and the Champions League this season? It depends on what Napoli are buying, the talent or the minutes the squad is missing now.

Napoli are eighth on 14 points after the 2-0 defeat to Juventus, and the fanbase keeps pointing to the same problems. It matters whether a deal like this would just plug gaps or help build something.

The transfer window is shut until Saturday 2 January 2027 and stays open until Tuesday 2 February. Before then, Napoli face Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday 4 November at 21:00 CET (20:00 UK, 15:00 ET), then Lazio at the Maradona on Sunday 8 November. Those games will show whether Allegri can fix the team with what he already has.