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Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman doesn't think the Reds need to sign Barcelona midfielder Gavi. He believes the 17-year-old's lack of experience and an already stacked midfield for the Merseysiders make the Spaniard a potential signing for the future.
Gavi has been linked with a move to the Premier League club with manager Jurgen Klopp interested in signing him, Football365 reports. His contract with Barcelona ends in 2023 and he has a €50 million release clause in his current deal.
However, McManaman believes that the Reds should let the midfielder stay at Barcelona and earn some experience before trying to sign him.
He said on Horseracing.net:
"Liverpool don't need Gavi at this moment in time. Maybe they could have an eye on him for the future, but I just think at this moment it won’t happen. He needs to stay at Barcelona and play football. He needs to fill out and get more experience and become a proper La Liga or Premier League player and he needs to play more games."
He added:
"At this moment in time, for that kind of money, when Liverpool have got about seven midfielders anyway, I just can’t see it happening. You need to see him play a lot more games."
McManaman also picked Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham over Gavi for the Reds to sign him this summer. He said:
"If you were picking between Jude Bellingham or Gavi you’d pick Jude because of the size of him, the experience he has and the fact that he’s played 100 more games. Gavi is a wonderful talent but I just think he’s far too young at the moment for Liverpool to be even looking at signing him for a fee like that."
Bellingham has played 42 matches for Borussia Dortmund across competitions, scoring six and assisting 13 goals.
Liverpool target Gavi's career so far at Barcelona
Gavi has impressed many in his short career so far for both club and country. The 17-year-old made his senior debut for the Blaugrana in 2021, featuring in a 2-1 win over Getafe.
He has since made 27 appearances in La Liga for the club this season, scoring two goals and making six assists.
He also featured for Spain in the 2021 UEFA Nations Cup. He made his debut in their semi-final win over Italy before they eventually lost in the final to France.
The youngster has formed a good partnership with Pedri and has played a part in the Blaugrana's resurgence this season. They will hope that the 17-year-old signs a new contract with them soon amidst interest from Jurgen Klopp.
