Barcelona dealt major Gavi blow ahead of 2024/25 season | OneFootball

Barcelona do not expect star midfielder Gavi to be anywhere near fit enough to start the 2024/25 campaign and he may not return until midway through next season, according to reports in Spain.

The 19-year-old has been out of action since November after sustaining ACL and meniscus injuries while on international duty with Spain. Those issues meant he was incredibly unlikely to play again this term, but there had been hope of him stepping up his recovery in time for the start of next season.

However, AS report that the complexity of the two injuries means Gavi will not be available until the autumn at the earliest. The typical recovery time from an ACL injury is seven to ninth months, but adding a meniscus tear on top adds another two to three months to his recovery timetable. Even after his knee fully heels, Gavi will need a further month to return to peak physical condition from a footballing standpoint.

The best-case scenario for Gavi now is to resume playing in November of this year, though a more likely outcome is he will make his return to Barcelona action in January 2025.

Gavi's last game came in November / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Barcelona were left furious with the Spanish FA for their medical treatment of Gavi after he sustained the injuries on their account. During a Euro 2024 qualifier with Georgia, he returned to the pitch after picking up a knock to his knee, before going down again soon after and being withdrawn - Barca believe not immediately substituting him caused the tear to his meniscus.

In Gavi's absence, Barcelona have failed to retain their La Liga title and will end the season without winning a trophy after coming up short in the Champions League. Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.

While Gavi has been injured, there has still been speculation linking him with a summer transfer. 90min understands Paris Saint-Germain are interested in the midfielder but accept it would be incredibly difficult to pry him away from Barcelona, who view him as a future club captain.