Gavi snubs Manchester United's £35m approach to stay at Barcelona until 2030

Gavi has turned down Manchester United’s approach, making clear he has no intention of leaving Barcelona despite the club’s willingness to pay the £35m asking price for the Spain international.

United manager Michael Carrick had identified the 22-year-old as a priority target to bolster a midfield that has already been reinforced by the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos — a combined outlay of £85m. Gavi’s rejection leaves Carrick searching for a third midfielder elsewhere with the transfer window running down.

The World Cup winner is contracted to Barcelona until 2030, and head coach Hansi Flick has made no secret of his reluctance to sanction a departure. Gavi himself has spoken warmly of his relationship with Flick, describing the German as “like a father to me” and crediting the manager’s trust as central to his recovery from two serious knee injuries.

“I have suffered a lot, unfortunately, in these last two years,” Gavi said at the end of last season. “They were serious injuries and you have to be mentally strong, and I have been. It’s a strong point of mine. Luckily, the coach trusts me a lot. He knows about my talent and mentality and that it’s important for the team. He blindly trusts me.”

Gavi came through Barcelona’s academy after joining the club at the age of 11 and has made 119 La Liga appearances since his debut in 2021. He missed five months of last season with a serious knee problem before returning to fitness in March and earning a place in Spain’s squad for the World Cup in the United States. He made two appearances during the tournament and was an unused substitute in the final, which Spain won 1-0 against Argentina in New York.

The news is a further frustration for United supporters who have grown impatient with the club’s transfer activity this summer. While rivals have invested heavily, United’s midfield business has been limited to Tielemans and Santos, with goalkeeper Karl Darlow the only other arrival on a free transfer. The club has also seen several prominent players depart, among them Rasmus Højlund and Casemiro, as well as goalkeepers Radek Vitek and Altay Bayindir.