Barcelona could lose wonderkid Gavi for free after a court ruled in favour of La Liga rejecting the registration of his contract.
What's going on with Gavi's Barcelona contract?
The midfielder signed professional terms in September 2022 on a long-term deal, but the registration of this contract was rejected by La Liga.
There is a legal dispute over the registration of this deal, with La Liga claiming that Barcelona filed the paperwork too late, and this has now been approved.
Gavi can still play for Barcelona, as per The Athletic, but his shirt number will revert from number six to his academy number 30, and they will have to formally register him at the end of the season.
"The court had made a final ruling: to lift the temporary injunction that had forced it to recognise Gavi’s first-team registration," the report in the Athletic stated.
"La Liga said it would change his registration 'over the coming days'. Barcelona, meanwhile, continue to claim they filed the necessary paperwork on time, and told The Athletic they intend to further appeal."
With Barcelona suffering from financial trouble, it seems that they will need to sell players in order to register Gavi, and if they cannot register him, he could depart as a free agent, in a similar manner to Lionel Messi in 2021.
How important is Gavi to Barcelona?
The 18-year-old has made 37 appearances this season, scoring twice and providing five assists for the La Liga leaders, who look set to win their first title since 2019.
The Golden Boy winner has been a key figure in Xavi's side, appearing both as a central midfielder and a left-winger throughout the season, and has earned praise from his midfield partner Sergio Busquets.
The Spain veteran described Gavi as "incredible," and the pair appeared together both at club and international level in the World Cup.
It would be a huge blow if Barcelona were to lose what could be a generational talent, and there would be no shortage of interest in Gavi should he become available. However, as a graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy, his loyalty to the club means that he could yet decide to remain at Camp Nou.
Barcelona are 12 points clear at the top of the table following their El Clasico victory, and Gavi has had a considerable impact on their performances. Given his incredible talent, he is a player Barcelona cannot afford to lose.