Barcelona prepared to lose Fati: Why Manchester United should target fallen wonderkid – Man United News And Transfer News

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Manchester United await the arrival of Europa League specialists Sevilla for their highly anticipated quarter final first leg at Old Trafford today.

The Red Devils come into the fixture on the back of convincing home wins against Brentford and Everton, and will look to carry that momentum into their upcoming clash.

With the Glazers finally looking to relinquish control of the club, to one of two possible candidates, things are looking bright for the red half of Manchester.

Following their takeover, United will be on the lookout for reinforcements in the summer, to truly kick-start the Erik ten Hag revolution at Old Trafford.

A number of names have been linked with the club in recent months, including that of Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati.

The prodigiously talented youngster burst onto the scene in 2019, becoming the youngest player to feature for the Blaugrana in over 80 years.

He would go on to score his first International goal on his first start for Spain against Ukraine, becoming their youngest-ever goalscorer at the tender age of just 17 years and 311 days, casually breaking another record which had stood for nearly 95 years.

Fati would inherit the legendary number 10 shirt from Lionel Messi after the Argentine’s unfortunate exit from Nou Camp, but injury problems have derailed his development of late.

He has featured in 25 La Liga games for Barcelona this term, but only ten have been starts.

Fati’s father, who also serves as his agent, recently called on the youngster to quit Nou Camp in an explosive rant aimed at the club and the management, and it looks like he may get his wish sooner than he expected.

According to Spanish outlet Sport, Fati’s time at Barcelona could soon be up, with the 20-year-old set to be sold for a substantial fee in the summer.

The report claims Barca prefer retaining the services of Ferran Torres and Raphinha and are prepared to lose Fati instead.

It has been a strange turn of events for the La Masia graduate, who was once hailed as the Blaugrana’s next superstar, but currently finds himself at crossroads with the club he joined as a 10-year-old.

The tabloids may have dismissed his talents already, but the excellence he displayed in his teens has not waned as much as they’d have you believe.

Despite having accrued barely over 1,400 minutes across all competitions, Fati has registered 7 goals and 3 assists for the Blaugrana this term.

He remains an extremely potent attacking option, who can play across multiple positions, and at just 20, still has a lofty ceiling, if his true potential can be harnessed in the correct fashion.

A left inside-forward by trade, Fati is reminiscent of United superstar Marcus Rashford, an elite dribbler with explosive speed and immensely refined technique in his repertoire.

He usually tends to drift inside, taking on his full back and playing one-twos inside the box, thus perfectly fitting the mould of the kind of player Erik ten Hag desires in attack.

The Red Devils currently have the likes of Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony as options on either side of their attack, with young guns like Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri backing them up.

A case could be made for a loan move for Pellistri, who requires more game-time to truly discover his feet at the highest level, and in that case, a further argument could be made for the signing of Fati as a more than PL ready replacement for the Uruguayan.

The youngster’s stock has dropped drastically over the years, standing at around £31 million in the current market.

If Manchester United can play their cards right and offer a substantial sum in the summer, they could find themselves a gem of a player at a relative bargain.

There remains a distinct possibility that all the hubbub surrounding the Spanish International is purely agent-driven nonsense, with United’s good name being used as a bargaining chip to further an agenda.

Either way, an interesting summer lies in wait for Ansu Fati.