Gavi is not coming to Old Trafford. Barcelona’s 22-year-old Spain international has rejected Manchester United’s interest and told the Catalan club he wants to stay, according to reporting picked up by Goal and Yahoo Sports.

The reported figure that would have opened the door was £35m, the same fee United paid Aston Villa for Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans earlier in the window. Barcelona are ready to offer Gavi a new contract even though his existing deal runs to 2030.

Gavi has been a starter in Barcelona’s first team since 2021. Hansi Flick, who signed an extension keeping him in the dugout until 2028, has built his midfield around the Spain international.

£83m spent on midfield, still no headline signing

Michael Carrick’s first full summer in charge has delivered numbers in midfield, if not the top-shelf name. Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea for a reported £48m, potentially rising to £50m with add-ons, Tielemans came in from Aston Villa for £35m, and 35-year-old Karl Darlow signed as a free-agent goalkeeper from Leeds.

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The outlay reads well on paper. In practice it leaves Carrick without the technical central midfielder United had earmarked as the window’s headline piece. Gavi, 22 and a Spain starter, was that signing.

Carrick has already said as much

The head coach was blunt about United’s shortfall a week before the Gavi story broke.

“We want more, we need more. We keep looking forward to how we can do that,” he told reporters on Thursday, 13 August.

Casemiro’s free-transfer departure to Inter Miami has left a gap in the middle of the pitch that Tielemans and Santos, on their own, have not fully closed.

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Left-back still on the list

United now have until 1 September to add. A left-back is one of the outstanding targets after Tyrell Malacia was released, and Carrick will need to move to an alternative in central midfield after Gavi’s answer. Just under two weeks remain to find one.

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