Monaco confident of keeping Ansu Fati after Barcelona loan | OneFootball

Monaco are confident they can keep Ansu Fati beyond his loan from Barcelona, though a salary agreement is still needed. According to L'Équipe, the club have been set for weeks on triggering his €11m option to buy.

Fati has delivered 18% of Monaco’s Ligue 1 goals despite ranking 18th in the squad for minutes. He has 10 league goals in just 964 minutes, a sharp return after a stop-start year caused by minor fitness issues.

Negotiated last summer, the clause is seen as value amid a strained domestic TV-rights market. The Spain international, 23 with 10 caps and two goals, is open to extending his stay in the Principality.

His camp maintains that, despite limited winter minutes under Sébastien Pocognoli, he is happy at Monaco, feels looked after and has found a mentor-like presence in Paul Pogba. His defensive contribution, still a work-on, has improved since autumn, and he believes a full pre-season could set up a big campaign next season.

The main stumbling block is wages for a player once touted as a prodigy, who signed a huge 2021 extension with a release clause set at one billion euros. Before last summer’s loan he extended to 2028 and spread €28m gross due over two seasons across three, mirroring Dimitri Payet’s 2020 arrangement at Marseille.

Even after a one-third cut, his net salary is put at €4.6m, above any team-mate, and Monaco are covering only half this season. Further concessions may be possible given the player’s stance, with a meeting between the parties expected soon. Monaco also risk losing attackers Folarin Balogun and Maghnes Akliouche.

Source: L'Équipe