Barcelona could struggle to offload Spain wonderkid Ansu Fati in the summer transfer window due to his price tag falling dramatically, according to reports in Spain.
Fati was tipped as one of Barcelona’s fastest-rising prospects after coming through the La Masia ranks and bursting into the La Liga club’s first team.
The 20-year-old Guinea-Bissau-born forward, who is under contract until 2027, has struggled for consistency in the Barcelona first team after being plagued with injuries.
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Fati, who has made 38 appearances this season, inherited Barcelona’s iconic No 10 shirt in 2021 after club legend Lionel Messi left the Camp Nou and signed for Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona manager Xavi has been a huge admirer of Fati and openly spoke about his desire to keep the Spain international to stay at the Camp Nou.
However, Spanish newspaper Sport (via Forbes) reports that Barcelona could be open to selling Fati in a bid to reduce their wage bill, but the club will also ‘not push to kick’ the player out.
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It is reported that Fati’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Mateu Alemany in Porto last week.
And it is believed the aforementioned trio discussed Fati, who was ‘top of the agenda’ amid uncertainty surrounding his Barcelona future.
According to reports, Mendes believes that a move to the Premier League could be open for Fati, but the player’s price tag has become an ‘obstacle’ over any transfer.
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Fati, who has a whopping €1bn buyout clause included in his 2021 contract, was previously valued between €70m to €100m by Barcelona.
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However, the Barcelona star’s price has significantly dropped due to his recent struggles, with Fati commanding a transfer value of only €40m now.
Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Sevilla last month, Xavi dismissed the idea of a club like Manchester United signing a “spectacular asset” like Fati.
“No, no, no... Things will work out for him,” he said.
“We have to be patient. Ansu is a spectacular asset to the club. We trust him a lot, he is working very well.
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“I am very happy with his tremendous mentality in training, but be patient.
“He is 20 years old and needs time, like everyone else. Things will work out for him, now is not the time to talk about sales.”
Adnan Riaz