Barcelona make decision on Ansu Fati's future

Ansu Fati has been taken off the transfer list at Barcelona with the club eager to see the player get back to his best during the upcoming 2024/25 season.

Fati put pen to paper on his first professional contract with Barca in 2019, and his future initially looked bright, making history with the goals he scored and the matches he featured in. However, the seasons which followed were dark and plagued by injuries.

In November 2020, Fati tore the meniscus in his left knee and, after surgery, was out for nine months. In January 2022, the Spain international was sidelined for three months following a hamstring injury. Before injuries hampered his progress, pundits hailed him as one of the brightest young talents in the world.

Last September, Fati was offloaded to Brighton on a season-long loan deal. He appeared in 27 matches for the Seagulls, netting four goals. Notably, he played a crucial role in Brighton's historic first European competition victory, scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win against Ajax during the group stage. This milestone also marked his debut goal in the Europa League.

Now, the 21-year-old is back in Spain, with reports in late June indicating that La Blaugrana were keen to send him away again this summer, possibly permanently, due to significant concerns over his fitness and injury record.

However, a report from Mundo Deportivo suggests that the 21-year-old is no longer for sale or availabl on a loan move. Likely influenced by Hansi Flick's input, sporting director Deco intends to retain the player and entrust him to demonstrate his abilities in the upcoming 2024/25 season.

Barca have also introduced a 'Dream Team' for fitness training, aiming to help Fati, and several other stars, overcome fitness issues and regain their form.

Flick has identified his key players for the upcoming season, including rising talents like Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Gavi, and Fati clearly aligns with the profile of player the German desires.