Barcelona President Joan Laporta has put out a public message of total support for forward Ansu Fati, dismissing the idea he might leave the club.
Fati has been heavily linked with a move after a disappointing season last campaign, despite remaining injury free. With the Blaugrana stretched financially, many had signalled that Ansu was a potential exit in the summer.
His father Bori Fati also admitted live on radio that if things continued the same, he would take his son elsewhere. Both Ansu himself and his agent Jorge Mendes maintain he wants to stay.
Speaking to Sport, Laporta denied reports that they had tried to shop him.
“We have not asked him to leave, he has a contract. Ansu is on track for this season to be much better than the previous one, which was almost entirely recovery because he relapsed from an injury.”
“Both at the national team and the coaches tell us that he is much better every day. He wants to succeed at Barca, his entourage and his agent want him to play more, but this depends on the coach. Hopefully soon we can see Ansu Fati who He dazzled and made football fall in love. I have faith in him. And I know the coach does too, and it gives me peace of mind.”
As a manner of demonstrating just how much faith he has in him, Laporta told a short anecdote.
“The other day they told me that in training, when they make bets for scoring goals and the top scorers, it is Ansu and Lewandowski.”
Laporta’s words have not matched the reports coming out of Catalonia, which for the most part have pointed to a sale if the right bid were to come in.
Ultimately, until Xavi Hernandez starts giving him a run of games, it is hard to see how his situation or the speculation changes. Fati has only ever completed 5 full matches in his entire career, and last season was still starved of continuity, playing an hour or more on just 12 occasions. It could be seen as either the problem for Ansu or the fault of Xavi.
