Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has said that he is expecting Gavi to stay "for many years" at Camp Nou amid speculation surrounding a potential move away from the Catalan giants.

Gavi has made 25 appearances for Barcelona this season, scoring twice and providing three assists in the process, but he is currently finding it difficult to hold down a regular spot in the starting XI.

Marc Casado, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are all ahead of him when it comes to the two midfield spots, while Dani Olmo is Flick's preferred choice in the number 10 position.

Gavi has, at times, been used as a wide player, but Raphinha and Lamine Yamal are absolute certainties in the Barcelona XI, which has made it even more difficult for the 20-year-old to secure regular starts.

The youngster has also been left out of the Spain squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League semi-final double-header against the Netherlands, and there has been speculation surrounding his future.

Chelsea are allegedly keen on a summer move for Gavi

Chelsea are said to be willing to pay €60m (£50m) for Gavi this summer, with Barcelona allegedly open to serious offers, as a big-money sale would do a lot for the club's finances.

However, Flick has said that Gavi will stay "for many years" at Barcelona, with the German revealing that he is being careful with the youngster's fitness following a lengthy period on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.

Gavi has also only just signed a new contract with the Catalan team, which is due to run until June 2030.

"Of course I talk to him, to everyone. What can I tell you about Gavi, he comes from a very important injury. At the moment, he is not the first one after the injury. The second difficult situation is to come back, but he is one of our best players," Flick told reporters ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash with Atletico Madrid.

"Our midfield is very good. He will play for many years in this magnificent club and he will be one of the stars. He will improve a lot, I am convinced. He is very focused and happy to be here. He has hopes of being in the World Cup and I'm convinced he will be."

Could Gavi leave Barcelona this summer?

It is incredibly difficult to imagine a scenario which involves Gavi leaving Barcelona this summer.

The midfielder is currently having to be patient when it comes to his minutes, while being left out of the Spain squad for the two-legged Nations League semi-final with the Netherlands would have disappointed him.

However, Flick is right to be careful with the youngster considering the seriousness of the knee injury that he suffered at the end of 2023, and it would not be a surprise to see him become a regular starter again during the 2025-26 campaign.

Barcelona will likely have to make some tough decisions during this summer's transfer window due to their financial issues, but selling Gavi is not thought to be even a slight possibility at this stage of proceedings.