Transfer Centre

Barcelona to consider sending Ansu Fati out on loan?

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 05 January 2023

Barcelona reportedly consider a January loan exit for out-of-favour attacker Ansu Fati, who has only started four La Liga games in the current season.

Barcelona are reportedly weighing up whether to send attacker Ansu Fati out on loan in January.

The 20-year-old has been regarded as one of the most promising up-and-coming youngsters in the game, but his development has been hampered by injuries in the past couple of years.

Fati has four goals and three assists under his belt from 22 matches in all competitions during the 2022-23 season, but he has not been a regular starter under Xavi so far.

The Spain international has featured from the first whistle just four times in La Liga and twice in the Champions League, with Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele, Memphis Depay and Ferran Torres also competing for starts in the wide areas.

As a result of his lack of game time, Fichajes states that Fati could potentially be loaned out in January, which could open up spots for new players to join over the next few weeks.

Ansu Fati celebrates scoring for Barcelona on September 10, 2022 © Reuters

The report adds that the Barcelona board still harbour 'serious doubts' over sanctioning a temporary departure, with the club aware of the potential that the Spanish youngster possesses.

However, the possibility of Fati leaving the club on loan is 'beginning to grow', while both Manchester City and Juventus are thought to be in competition to sign the attacker.

Man City supposedly hold the edge over their Italian counterparts in the race to sign Fati, whose total for Barcelona stands at 23 goals and nine assists from 80 appearances.

Fati left Sevilla's youth setup in 2012 to sign for the Camp Nou giants, and he signed a new contract until 2027 in October 2021, with that deal also including a two-year extension option.

The 20-year-old also possesses a €1bn (£884.1m) release clause in his lengthy Barcelona deal, but he has already been bedevilled by more than one serious injury in his fledgling career.

Ansu Fati in action for Barcelona in November 2021 © Reuters

A knee injury in late 2020 saw Fati miss 10 months of action, and he struggled to battle back from a troublesome hamstring issue last season, missing 30 games between November and April.

The futures of Depay, Dembele and Torres are also unclear as Barcelona prepare for a possible attacking exile, but the latter has seemingly ruled out the prospect of an exit amid links with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

When asked by Sport of his aspirations for the New Year, Torres responded: "Here's to a 2023 with many magical nights at Camp Nou with our fans."

Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Raul Jimenez have been mentioned as possible January targets for Barcelona, but Joan Laporta does not expect his side to be very active this month.