Chelsea 'lining up £42m bid for Barcelona's Gavi'

Chelsea are reportedly preparing to activate the release clause in Gavi's current Barcelona contract.

The 17-year-old has broken into the first team at Camp Nou this season, while he has also become a vital player for Spain since being handed his debut by La Roja in October.

As it stands, Gavi has a contract with Barcelona until June 2023, which includes a release clause of £42m.

According to El Nacional, Chelsea are prepared to place that amount on the table, which would allow them to open talks with the Spaniard during the January transfer window.

However, the Catalan giants are currently in talks with Gavi over a new long-term deal, which could see his release clause rise to £840m.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that Barcelona were close to reaching an agreement with the teenage midfielder over a fresh contract.

Gavi, who became Spain's youngest ever international last month, has made 14 appearances at club level during the 2021-22 campaign, including 10 outings in La Liga.