Man Utd ‘very interested’ in Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati

Robin Bairner

• 4 Feb 2023 15:58 GMT
• 4 min read

Manchester United are “very interested” in signing Barcelona attacker Ansu Fati, according to a report from Spain.

Man Utd have been going through a rebuilding process under manager Erik ten Hag, who has lifted them firmly into contention to finish in a Champions League spot this season.

Although the Dutchman was given significant funds to strengthen his squad in the summer, these dried up in January, when the Red Devils made a trio of loans in the form of Jack Butland from Crystal Palace, Wout Weghorst from Burnley and finally Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich.

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It was a disappointing window for the fans, but according to Sport, Man Utd could be saving their money for a summer assault on Ansu Fati.

The Spanish source reports that Man Utd have already made their interest known to Barcelona, but they have so far been rebuffed. However, it is noted that the coming months could see the situation change.

Other Premier League clubs are following the situation, but it is the Old Trafford side who are most serious about the player.

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Why Ansu might leave Barcelona

Ansu’s form this season for Barca has been disappointing. He has played 30 times for the Blaugrana this term and has returned six goals and three assists, often having to make do with a role as a replacement following a big spend in the summer.

United are said to be interested in the forward and have a strong relationship with the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes.

Ansu was once Barcelona’s great hope to replace Lionel Messi, which is why he was handed a contract until 2027 and was presented with the Argentine’s No.10 shirt. He was also given a release clause of €1 billion, though with his status at Camp Nou dropping, it is reported Barca could be open to offers in the summer.

From the player’s perspective, he is unhappy that his playing time has been cut, with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele ahead of him in the pecking order.

Are Man Utd really interested?

Fati is certainly a player that Man Utd, as well as a string of other leading clubs, will be keeping tabs on.

With the club up for sale, though, the prospects of the Glazer brothers funding a big move to sign the Spain international forward are distant. The Americans' reticence to invest was evident in January, when they could have made two or three signings at relatively low cost that would have gone some way to guaranteeing a return of the Champions League.

Are they really ready to foot a huge bill for a player they will see a limited return on? It seems unlikely.

If Man Utd do sign Fati, it would probably come under new ownership - and that can't be discounted given that a deal could be made by the late part of the spring. A deal could hinge on this from the Premier League side's perspective.

Fati's future, meanwhile, is in the hands of Barcelona, who have shown no inclination to sell the player... yet. With the Catalan side in need of making a big sale in the summer, Ansu is one of those assets who could be considered along with Frenkie de Jong, who also continues to be linked with Man Utd, and if his playing time continues to be limited then the chances of a transfer increase significantly.