FC Barcelona is about to part ways with a young forward as part of their squad overhaul for the 2025-26 season.
The transfer, which started as a given, has hit roadblocks, mostly because of disagreements over how to split wages with the incoming club, AS Monaco.
However, both clubs want to finish the transfer, Barcelona ideally before the end of June, to alleviate their wage bill, and for the true boss of Barcelona, Hansi Flick, to have the rest of the season to play with the player.
The Ligue 1 club is also keen to have the player wrapped up in plenty of time to enable them to settle into the squad, so that they can hit the ground running in pre-season.
This move demonstrates Barcelona’s shift towards running a financially stable squad, as well as honoring a group of players over others in the long-term plan, given the uncertainty of international football and the resulting financial strain on clubs, as reported by Marca.
The player is Ansu Fati, the 22-year-old La Masia graduate, touted to be a generational talent in the early months of his first-team career.
Fati’s position at the club has diminished since Flick has had to deploy him a total of nine times this season, and only two matches in 2025.
With Flick, Fati has barely been involved, which is something that his agent, Jorge Mendes, will also acknowledge.
Over the months, Mendes has been looking for places for Fati to play regularly in the Middle East, namely countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
The locations are financially flexible and guarantee a modicum of playing time, an important element for Fati’s development.
While a negotiation with Monaco has stalled, sources are still optimistic and believe an agreement can be reached, seeing the current pause as a delay, not a breakdown.
For Fati, it is a chance for a new start, while Barcelona will take a break and focus on financial pressures, emerging talents like Lamine Yamal, and new signings, including Nico Williams.
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