Barcelona youngster was hesitant to take legendary jersey number at club – report
Barcelona’s No. 10 shirt is arguably the one with the most weight in football. There is no end to the long list of legends who have donned the iconic number including the great Lionel Messi.
There was thus a lot of unrest in Catalonia after the Argentine maestro left the club as to who should inherit the special kit.
In the end, Barcelona’s young star Ansu Fati was announced as the team’s new No. 10. Many saw the La Masia star to be the future of the club’s attack, and the decision was not questioned by many.
Two years later, the Spanish forward is in a tight spot. Indeed, injuries have not been kind to him in his short career so far. However, there are a significant number of fans who now question the decision to hand Fati the #10 shirt.
According to reports from SPORT, the youngster did not push to be assigned Messi’s kit. He hesitated a lot before accepting the challenge and knew the pressure that came with it.
Fati discussed the proposal at length with the captain, Sergio Busquets and only took it upon himself after receiving the captain’s advice.
Is Fati exit-bound?
Ansu Fati has suffered over the past two years with repeated injuries and surgical procedures. Making a comeback from such a threatening setback was far from easy for the starlet.
He appears closer to his former self, now more than ever. The 20-year-old scored the team’s winning goal both against AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur and is showing a high level in training. Yet, there are doubts over his future. Reports state that Barcelona see Fati’s departure as an essential operation to bring in funds. PSG, Saudi Arabia, and clubs from the Premier League are interested in his incorporation and are willing to pay a premium for the same.
In fact, Xavi did not close the door for the youngster’s departure in his recent interview after the Gamper fixture. When asked about Fati, the manager said:
“Ansu Fati? We’ll see. There’s a transfer window until the end of the month.”
But the player has no intention to leave the club and wishes to succeed with the Blaugrana more than ever.