Spanish Journalist Reveals Why Barcelona Star Gavi Plays With His Boots Unlaced

Barcelona wonderkid Gavi plays football with his boots unlaced as he doesn’t know how to tie them, it has been claimed.

The 17-year-old midfielder, one of the brightest prospects in European football, is regularly pictured playing for Barcelona with his boots untied.

Fans have speculated over whether Gavi has a bizarre superstition or pre-match ritual which involves his laces being undone.

But a straightforward explanation has now emerged – he simply doesn’t know how to lace up his boots.

"Gavi has been playing with his laces untied since he was very young, it’s because he doesn’t know how to tie them well,” Spanish journalist Marc Marba Prats revealed on Twitter.

“He doesn’t care and he plays like that."

Gavi has previously been teased by his Barcelona team-mates for his inability to tie his laces.

Fellow La Masia graduate Nico Gonzalez poked fun at the Spain international in a recent Instagram story which featured a picture of him tying Gavi’s shoelaces.

Gonzalez posted the picture alongside a caption which, when translated, read: "Time to learn…”

Gavi has not been held back by his unusual way of playing football and has now made 21 senior appearances for Barcelona, who are reportedly in talks to tie the youngster down to a new long-term contract.

The Catalan club are set to offer him a new five-year deal which will see his wage rise each season, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

A release clause in his current contract, which is said to be around €50m (£42.6m), will also be scrapped.

Barcelona are understandably keen to tie down one of their brightest young prospects, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all being linked with a move for the midfielder.