Gavi back to wearing number 30 after La Liga registration overruled
Barcelona midfielder Gavi is once again being forced to wear the number 30 shirt for the club, after having his La Liga registration overturned on appeal, and it could even mean he leaves the club for nothing.
There are few better young players in the world than Gavi, according to last year's Kopa Trophy the list of players ahead of him is actually zero.
His performance against Real Madrid earlier in the year left Xavi 'speechless,' which is some going considering how good the Barcelona manager was when he played for the team.
However, despite being one of the team's best players, he has had huge issues with his contract, forcing him to wear the number 30 shirt for much of the season.
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The 18-year-old signed a new contract back in September, which bumped him from a youth player to a senior player, which should have meant getting a new squad number.
However, due to their financial problems, Barca weren't allowed to register him, meaning his transfer release clause also stayed at £50 million.
Back in January, the club were able to get the courts to agree to his registration, allowing him to wear the number six and officially be part of the senior squad.
Now though, according to Spanish journalist Sergio Fernandez, an appeal by La Liga has overturned the initial decision from the courts.
Barca Universal, explain that the club were a day late with filing their claims, even after the one day grace period, leading to the overruling.
According to Marca, the club don't need to worry about a £50 million release clause, because Monday's news actually means the release clause could be invalid and leave him available to rivals for free.
Numbers one through 25 are reserved for the senior team, meaning that the decision will lead to Gavi having to give up the number six squad number.
He will return to being a member of the Catalan giant's reserve squad and take up the number 30 once again, it was a nice couple of months.
The midfielder will still be free to play for the Spanish league leaders, as they attempt to claim back the title from Real Madrid.
That will be relief to Xavi, considering just how committed the teenager is to helping his team, having literally put his head on the line in last weekend's win over Athletic Club.
The manager was 'surprised' at the reception his side got at San Mames, after fans threw fake money at the visiting team and shouted 'Mafia' at them, over the recent claims of corruption.
Ryan Sidle