How Deco saved Barcelona’s La Masia prodigy from joining PSG in 2023 | OneFootball

As excitement over Gavi’s return to the pitch grows, a recent report from Diario SPORT has revealed an interesting anecdote from 2023.

The report reveals that Gavi was close to joining European rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023, as Barcelona were desperate to keen on signing Fabian Ruiz.

PSG had offered both Ruiz and Marco Verratti in exchange for Gavi. It was a direct swap deal, with no cash involved.

It was a deal that suited Mateu Alemany, who was desperate to sign Ruiz but did not have the money to carry out the operation. He was, therefore, strongly considering accepting the offer.

How Deco stopped Gavi’s move

However, the report adds that Gavi’s move to PSG was ultimately stopped by two personalities: Deco and the player himself.

Deco, in particular, had a key role to play in preventing Gavi from joining PSG, even though the move was supported by both Alemany and coach Xavi Hernandez.

Alemany was desperate to sign Fabian Ruiz and was willing to sell Gavi. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The current sporting director argued that Gavi was integral to Barcelona’s long-term project and one of La Masia‘s icons in recent years.

Deco further argued that the deal didn’t make sense for Barcelona as they would have had to assume Verratti’s lofty wages.

Gavi, for his part, wasn’t sure about the move either as he always wanted to succeed at Barcelona and had no desire to join PSG.

Finally, the operation did not materialise, thanks to the efforts of Deco and Gavi. However, this had a negative impact on Alemany’s future at the club, with the Spaniard eventually quitting the club while Deco became the sporting director.

As for Gavi, the young Spaniard has since struggled with injuries, although he is hopeful of making a comeback and is expected to receive the green light in two or three weeks.