Gavi has become a key player in Barcelona’s first team despite being only 17 years old.
The talented midfielder has a football field on his feet following an impressive season with the club and looks set to become a Blaugrana player for many years to come.
However, history would not have been so different if he had opted to choose Real Madrid or Atletico ahead of Barcelona, as all three Spanish officials wanted to take him to a local school in his native Andalusia.
His first coaches in Los Palacios, the Andalusian hometown of the boys Fabian Ruiz and Jesus Navas, said Gavi only wanted to join Barcelona.
“I know that Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid were looking for him, but when he went to Barcelona he told his parents: ‘Dad, the best players are here and I want to play here,'” Manuel Vasco told Sport.
“The kid was attracted to the big clubs from the start, Real Betis and Sevilla were the first to come here because of the proximity.
“Barcelona signed him to the Algarve tournament, where he was named man of the match and Barcelona took him.
“But before that, I think he was in Madrid with both teams, and they were watching him, and it was clear that, if he had to choose between the big teams, he really liked Barcelona,” he concluded.
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