Napoli target Gavi in loan‑to‑buy bid as Flick sidelines him

According to Calciomercato (h/t SPORT), Napoli have made an approach for Barcelona midfielder Gavi, with sporting director Giovanni Manna exploring a loan‑to‑buy move in the January window.

Napoli's loan‑to‑buy proposal

The Serie A giants have been monitoring the La Masia graduate’s situation because he has struggled for regular minutes under Hansi Flick.

Napoli would prefer a loan deal with an option to buy, allowing them to pursue the player without committing to a significant initial transfer fee.

Manna has approached Gavi’s entourage to gauge his position and assess whether a deal could be negotiated.

Gavi's limited role at Barcelona

Gavi has only featured 211 minutes in eight games this season, starting twice.

He sits behind Pedri, Rodri, Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo and Marc Bernal in Barcelona’s pecking order.

Despite limited playing time, the 22‑year‑old remains fully committed to Barcelona and has no intention of leaving.

He says patience is required, although he is not entirely pleased with his minutes in the 2026/27 campaign.

Last summer, several Premier League clubs showed interest, but Gavi made clear he did not want to move.

His stance has not changed despite his reduced prominence.

Barcelona value the midfielder highly and have no plans to sell him.

Although Hansi Flick has not used him regularly, the German manager rates the World Cup winner highly and sees him as a key squad member.

Consequently, Napoli’s attempt to lure Gavi on a loan‑to‑buy deal is unlikely to produce a substantial outcome.