La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly mulling over loaning out 20-year-old Spanish prospect Ansu Fati this year.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Barcelona might loan Ansu Fati out in the summer transfer window. The 20-year-old prospect has seen his growth halt due to a spate of injuries he suffered in the last few years.
Ansu Fati is arguably the brightest prospect to have emerged from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in the past decade. The Spanish international joined the Blaugrana from Sevilla as a nine-year-old in July 2012. And he took no time to rise through the ranks before making his first-team debut in August 2019 to become the second-youngest debutant for Barcelona.
Since then, the 20-year-old has struggled with a few fitness issues, with long-term injuries stunting his progress. But Fati has been injury-free thus far this season, amassing four goals and three assists thus far in 22 appearances. However, the young prospect has not shown the levels he displayed when he broke into the first-team squad.
Fati’s injury woes have inevitably impacted his growth, and he is not ready to be a regular for Barcelona yet. And according to the report, Barcelona will consider loaning out the 20-year-old prospect in the summer transfer window. That should ideally bring the player to the desired level.
But sending Fati out on loan might not be the best call from Barcelona’s perspective. That is because Memphis Depay will definitely depart from Spotify Camp Nou this year. In addition, Ferran Torres faces an uncertain future at the Catalan club. And Barcelona might also contemplate offloading Raphinha if the Brazilian international does not improve.
So Xavi Hernandez might not have enough resources to line up a competitive starting lineup at this rate. And with Fati recently producing an impressive performance in the win over CF Intercity in the Copa del Rey, there is cause for optimism for Barcelona.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if the Catalan giants decide to loan the 20-year-old prospect in the summer. For now, it seems like a strange decision for Barcelona to consider the possibility.
