Liverpool and Manchester City have both been boosted in their pursuit of Barcelona superstar Gavi, following a key update regarding his situation in Spain.
The Lowdown: Gavi a young superstar
The Spaniard is one of the most talked-about young players in the world currently, having burst onto the scene for both club and country in recent times.
Despite still only being 18 years of age, Gavi has already racked up 83 appearances for Barca, as well as winning 17 caps for Spain and appearing four times at the 2022 World Cup.
Along with Pedri, the teenager could be one of his current club's most prized homegrown assets since Xavi and Andres Iniesta strutted their stuff, and he has the potential to be a future legend there.
That being said, Gavi's future at Camp Nou has suddenly been thrown into doubt, which is where Liverpool come into play, having been linked with a move for him in the past.
The Latest: Liverpool given boost
According to The Times, Liverpool and City are both 'keeping an eye' on what is a 'messy situation' at Barca that could see Gavi leave on a free transfer this summer.
That's because of a 'dispute' over the La Liga giants' ability to pay to register the youngster, with their financial position far from the strongest right now.
It is noted that Liverpool have been admirers of Gavi 'for a while' now, and although a move has always seemed unlikely because of the size of his potential transfer fee and his happiness at Barca, this development has offered them 'encouragement'.
The Verdict: Still feels unlikely
In truth, it still feels likely that Barca will be able to find a way around this situation, although Lionel Messi's shock exit to PSG for similar financial reason certainly acts as a warning to the Catalan club.
Should Liverpool genuinely be in with a chance to sign Gavi, they should do all they can to snap him up, considering he has been called a 'special' player by Xavi himself.
At 18, he is already such an influential figure, enjoying an 88.1% pass completion rate this season and thriving in a central midfield role, and he could help transform the Reds' issues in the middle of the park.
If Liverpool ended up signing Gavi on a free transfer and also got Jude Bellingham in a big-money move, as has so often been mooted with the latter, it could be a game-changing moment after what has been a stuttering campaign.