Liverpool suffer major transfer blow - Barca close to reaching "agreement in principle" for €50m midfield target

Liverpool are set to watch Barcelona reach an agreement of sorts to extend the terms of 17-year-old Gavi, according to reports.

Real Madrid beat the Reds to Aurelien Tchouameni this summer but Liverpool quickly turned their attention to Darwin Nunez, rapidly agreeing a deal to sign him for €100million.

The striker has already increased the level of excitement ahead of the new season massively and fans are now frothing to see the 2022/23 Premier League season start.

However, there is still work to be done to ensure Jurgen Klopp and his squad head into the season stronger than last term but it seems unlikely that the man to improve them will be Gavi.

The Spanish prodigy has taken the world of football by storm and is already one of the most exciting players to watch as his unbridled enthusiasm for the game shines through.

While he may be diminutive, just watching him play would leave you confused to hear he is only 17 as he is a driving force both for Barcelona and the senior Spanish national team.

His current deal includes a €50million (£42m) release clause and Liverpool are apparently interested in triggering it if Gavi again refuses a Barcelona deal.

However, Mundo Deportivo reports that the Blaugrana are closing in on an agreement (of sorts) to keep the teenager at Camp Nou until he turns 22.

Fernando Polo reports that Barcelona "expects to close the renewal" of Gavi today or at the very least, "be able to announce an agreement in principle."

Ivan De la Peña, his agent, travelled to Seville to inform Gavi and his family of the latest proposal from Barcelona despite the "offers he has received from powerful clubs, including Bayern and Liverpool."

Reports have also indicated that the Catalonian hierarchy would like to include a mind-boggling €1billion release clause to ward off interest from clubs in the future.

I would still love to see Gavi at Liverpool as I think the young midfielder has everything Jurgen Klopp looks for in his most attacking no.8.

He reminds me a bit of how Philippe Coutinho operated in that role for Liverpool before his move to Barcelona in 2018.

Both players have the ability to wriggle out of tight spaces, can play killer through balls but are also able to score from outside the box although Coutinho was arguably the best from that range during his final year at Anfield.