The future of Barcelona’s wonderkid Ansu Fati at Barcelona looks more and more doubtful as tensions flare up around his playing time.
The 22-year-old, viewed as the club’s next superstar just two years ago, has visibly grown agitated after having participated in no significant playing time in key moments, such as Barcelona’s tumultuous 4-3 victory over Celta Vigo, when he stayed as an unused substitute throughout.
While his frustration is entirely understandable, the club still feels as though they have been honest with him on his role since January, now leaving it up to Ansu Fati to decide how he would like to proceed, as reported by Diario Sport.
Barcelona’s technical staff see Ansu’s discontent but maintain that he was advised of his reduction in status months ago.
Manager Hansi Flick noted in December that he wouldn’t get minutes, and even then, Ansu Fati decided to stay and try to work up the flank.
Still, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick’s other attacking players are younger talents like Lamine Yamal, and Flick is even giving late appearances to squad players like Pau Victor.
A summer exit appears inevitable, but the format of that exit remains foggy. Barcelona would prefer a permanent sale, with that sale preferably going to a European club.
There is the option of a loan, but after a disappointing loan spell at Brighton last season, the club is hesitant about an unfree loan that doesn’t reinvigorate him.
On a contract until 2027, a mutual termination seems absurd unless Barcelona compensates Ansu at an expense they deem acceptable.
For now, the Barcelona hierarchy has remained resolute, reaffirming that they have acted fairly.
The onus is now on Ansu- he can either force a move away or learn to live without being one of the focal points of the squad in a squad which is no longer constructed around him.
Either way, his Camp Nou career is on a knife-edge.
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