€70m Barcelona star ‘guaranteed’ to stay despite Messi rumours

Robin Bairner

• 3 May 2023 08:13 BST
• 3 min read

Ansu Fati will not leave Barcelona this summer, with the youngster “guaranteed” to remain at the club, despite major speculation over his future and the possibility that Lionel Messi returns to Camp Nou.

Fati has found himself peripheral to things under Xavi, with the 20-year-old typically used as a substitute.

This has led to agent Jorge Mendes claiming that Barcelona could sell him for upwards of €70 million this summer to help ease their financial problems, despite the youngster’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) falling to €30.5m off the back of a lack of game time.

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Several Premier League clubs have been monitoring his progress, with Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool among those teams who have been linked with a potential summer transfer.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are seeking to raise funds to beat Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations and potentially welcome Lionel Messi back to the club. This would be no small feat and will require the sacrifice of several players to be sold. Logically, the young winger could be one of those to go.

Bori Fati, the player’s father, though, claims that Ansu will stay put.

“Ansu will stay at Barcelona. That’s for sure. He stays, it’s guaranteed,” he told the media shortly after a meeting with super agent Mendes.

READ: 'More than useless' Messi slammed as Barcelona and Saudis fight over PSG star

Ansu Fati's changing Barcelona transfer stance

Bori Fati’s stance has changed dramatically over the course of April, with reports at the end of March stating that he had grown frustrated with Barcelona and Xavi “disrespecting” his son by constantly using him as a substitute.

"I don't know why Xavi does not play Ansu," stormed Fati senior in an interview with COPE recently. "He must have his reasons. Ansu isn't disgusted with him, as Xavi was always his idol. But me, I'm very angry as a father."

Barcelona, though, have always offered their support to the player, who was dubbed the ‘heir to Lionel Messi’ when he first broke into the team as a teenager, and now it seems that Ansu will stay.