Ansu Fati’s father urges son to leave Barcelona
The father of Ansu Fati has hit out at Barcelona in an explosive interview, claiming that he wants his son to leave the Catalan outfit during this summer’s transfer window.
The 20-year-old has featured on 38 occasions for Xavi’s side during the 2022-23 campaign, but he has only managed six goals and three assists during an underwhelming season.
Fati has only started nine times in La Liga this term, meanwhile, with the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, Gavi and Robert Lewandowski ahead of him in the pecking order at Camp Nou.
There is currently widespread speculation surrounding the youngster’s future with Barcelona, with Manchester United said to be keeping a close eye on the situation.
Bori Fati has said that his son does not want to leave the Catalan team this summer, but he is keen for the attacker to move on for the sake of his career.
The forward missed 47 games for Barcelona between November 2020 and September 2021 due to a serious knee injury, and he has since been absent with two separate hamstring problems, but he appears to have finally put his recent fitness issues behind him.
“Ansu does not want to leave Barcelona, but I want to see him succeed. I won’t go to the stadium anymore, I’m very angry with the club. In a month we will meet with Jorge Mendes (agent), for sure,” Bori Fati told COPE.
“It bothers me that Ansu plays so little. We’re talking about a player that is a Spanish international and came from La Masia. He deserves much more than that.
“I don’t know why Xavi does not play Ansu. He must have his reasons. Ansu is not disgusted with him, as Xavi was always his idol. But me, I am very angry as a father.
“Mateu Alemany (Barcelona director of football) tells me that Ansu is part of the club’s heritage. As a father, I have told Ansu that it is better for him to leave. But Ansu has told me that he does not agree with me on this. He wants to stay.
“If it was up to me, I would leave Barcelona tomorrow. I told Ansu that if the situation didn’t change, we would have to leave, but he tells me that I’m wrong.
“Before the injury, Ansu Fati was starting matches in a squad with [Antoine] Griezmann, Dembele and [Luis] Suarez. How come he doesn’t play now? Physically, he’s in top shape.
“I’ve spoken to Xavi a few times and I can tell that he’s a good guy. He’s helped Ansu a lot tactically, but I don’t know why Ansu is not playing. Ansu could never disagree with him, as Xavi has always been his idol. We had posters of him at our house.
“When Barca were much worse than they are now, they forced Ansu Fati to come back from injury to play. They used to want Ansu to make the people happy again. Now that he’s 100 per cent fit and ready, nobody wants Ansu? Did he forget to play football or what? Ansu Fati is Barca’s franchise player. He deserves more minutes.”
Fati still has four years left to run on his current deal, with the option of a further two years, having signed a new long-term contract at Camp Nou in October 2021. —Reuters
