Manchester United are interested in signing Ansu Fati from Barcelona if they can’t get Jadon Sancho over the line.
Fati has enjoyed a breakout season in the 2019/2020 season, having made his Barcelona debut at the age of 16 in August. He also became the club’s youngest ever Champions League scorer in December when he scored in his side’s 2-1 win over Inter.
Fati celebrates his goal against Inter/Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images
These remarkable feats have surprisingly caught the attention of United. According to SPORT, the Red Devils are considering a bold move to lure Fati away from the Camp Nou after attempts to sign Sancho failed.
Super agent Jorge Mendes – who has a good relationship with United after helping broker a deal for Bruno Fernandes in January – is likely to play a key role in any potential switch. Mendes is understood to have submitted a €100m (£90.2m) verbal offer from the Premier League at the start of the summer.
However, Barca are desperate to keep Fati at the club and want to offer him a better contract. The Blaugrana wanted to hold off on raising the youngster’s wages for a few months but United’s strong interest could force them to pull the trigger already.
Included in the new contract is a large new release clause, which is likely to deter interest in the forward for several seasons to come. Fethy is thought to be happy at Barcelona for now but was upset at missing out on playing time during his side’s Champions League victory over Napoli.
In saying that, he acknowledges the time and effort that Quique Setien has put into his development – not that the Spaniard is likely to still be in the managerial hot seat next season.
Jorge Mendes has made several high-profile deals over the past few years / Sam Bagnall – AMA/Getty Images
As for United, they are keen to sign a deal for Sancho despite Dortmund’s recent statement that he will remain in Germany next season.