About two weeks ago, everything seemed to indicate that Ansu Fati would head to Monaco very quickly, and under financial conditions that convinced FC Barcelona. But all of this has changed. From his departure being agreed as a transfer, it's now at a standby point because an agreement hasn't been reached. In France, L'Équipe has provided a latest update that doesn't seem positive at all, and it could pose a serious problem for Barça.
Monaco tightens the rope over Ansu Fati
The positions between Barça and Monaco remain very far apart in negotiations for Ansu Fati. The forward would like to have everything finalized before June 30, when the fiscal year ends. This is a personal request from Adi Hütter, Monaco's coach, who wants to have him available for the Champions League qualifying round. However, right now this looks likely to drag on longer.
In this regard, L'Équipe has revealed that Monaco believes that, right now, it has the advantage because its forward line is well covered. It won't push hard for Ansu Fati, who is back in Barcelona to try to unblock this operation.
The youth academy player's salary is a real problem for Monaco. He is one of the highest-paid players in Barça's squad, which doesn't want to pay him another euro. It is expected that the intervention of Jorge Mendes, his agent, could change everything. All parties want to reach an agreement, but not at any price. Meanwhile, Monaco is lowering its offer, while Barcelona wants to raise it.
Future in doubt
As of today, Madrid-Barcelona has learned that not everything is lost, and that, although the agreement isn't complete, some things are on the right track. One is the format of Ansu Fati's departure, which, if it happens, would be a loan with a purchase option. This is set at €12-15 million ($12-15 million), with Barça keeping a percentage of his potential future sale. However, there is also friction here, with Monaco not wanting to give up a significant %.
There are significant problems. What seemed almost done is now closer to falling through than being completed. At FC Barcelona, they are starting to panic, because Ansu Fati's departure is seen as key to registering new signings. Mendes doesn't want this to fall through, being the main Barça ally to make this exit happen.