Barcelona dealt blow to plans for significant summer exit | OneFootball

Barcelona want to make multiple significant signings this summer, but in order to do so, they will need players to move on. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Casado and Robert Lewandowski have all been strongly linked with departing the Spotify Camp Nou, and another that could leave permanently is Ansu Fati.

Fati has gradually lost prominence within Can Barca in the last few years, and last summer, he was shipped out on loan to AS Monaco. He’s done okay in French football, although he’s seemingly done enough to convince the Ligue 1 club to sign him permanently during the upcoming transfer window.

Monaco have a €11m buy option that they’re willing to activate, but before they do so, they must reach an agreement on personal terms with Fati. That will be much easier said than done, as journalist Andi Onrubia has told Cadena SER.

“According to the sources consulted, Ansu receives €250k net (per month) from Monaco, but not only does he receive money from Monaco, but Barça pays him part of his salary, and that salary is unaffordable for Monaco. For Ansu to continue at the Monegasque team, the most important thing is that they reach an agreement and his salary is significantly lowered, because Monaco have economic problems due to the crisis that is shaking the French football clubs. They are not going to commit a crazy thing or overpay for the Spanish international.”

Fati must sacrifice big money to join Monaco permanently

It’s understandable that Monaco will not commit big money towards Fati’s contract, which means that the 23-year-old must take a significant wage cut in order to continue with the Monegasque club. It will be interesting to see whether they chooses to do so, but if he does not, a return to Barcelona is inevitable.

Barcelona are desperately hoping that Fati will agree terms with Monaco, as they will not reintegrate him back into Hansi Flick’s squad. If he ends up returning, a new exit would be sought, but getting a club to agree to their terms won’t be easy.