Barcelona could sign Gavi replacement in January if €40 million payment arrives

Following Gavi’s season-ending ACL injury earlier this month, there has been a lot of talk about how Barcelona will proceed with their January transfer plans.

The idea had always been to focus on the registration of Vitor Roque, who was signed last summer but was allowed to continue at Athletico Paranaense due to Financial Fair Play issues.

The Blaugrana were waiting on the €40 million payment to arrive from Libero for the 9.8% shares in Barça Studios and had plans to register Roque once that came through.

But, Gavi’s injury opened a new window as the Catalans are now planning to register Roque in January through the space created by the midfielder’s long-term absence, with La Liga green-lighting the operation already.

Will Barcelona now replace Gavi?

As per a report from Mundo Deportivo, the technical staff at Barcelona continue to seek a new interior midfielder in January, more so following the injury to Gavi.

But the sporting department decided to prioritise Roque’s registration by using the salary space created through Gavi’s injury.

However, the idea of signing a new midfielder to replace Gavi is not completely discarded at this point.

Indeed, should Barcelona receive the €40 million payment due from the Barça Studios operation, they would still look into the possibility of signing a new interior midfielder.

However, such an operation would only be considered as long as the player generates total consensus within the club and would improve the quality of the squad.

Giovani Lo Celso the preferred target

As was reported earlier, if Barcelona do go after the signing of a new midfielder in January, the club see Tottenham Hotspur’s Giovani Lo Celso as the preferred target.

The 27-year-old Argentine was on the Catalans’ radars in the summer as well and has found game-time hard to come by with Spurs this season.

As such, Barça could look to capitalise on his situation and explore the possibility of signing him in January.

But everything would be subject to the €40 million payment arriving, with Barcelona also looking at other potential investors in case Libero do not hold up their end of the bargain.