Sporting Lisbon have move to rejected the claims of Ansu Fati's father about the demands from the 16-year old.
Fati's father, Bori, claims that his son was interested in amove to the Portuguese side this summer – however the Primeira Liga side were only willing to offer him a place in their youth set up.
However the club have denied these claims, insisting that their links with Fati were based on him being a first team player, via an official club statement.
"To state that we only offered the player a youth team role shows a real lack of knowledge of our club.
"We have 16-year olds in our U18 and U23 sides, so the maths do not add up here, as he would have been in our U19 side.
"Sporting scouts identified the player, and he was invited to come to the club and speak with the coaching staff.
"As we knew that his contract situation was not resolves with FC Barcelona.
"But we cannot always sign the player we wish to, as we operate to a strict financial budget."
Fati Snr also claimed that he wanted his son to represent the Portuguese national side, however he conceded that was now 'difficult' with the teenager's Spanish nationality confirmed.
