Barcelona president sets record straight over mooted €150m Man Utd move
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has responded to the speculation that linked Man Utd with a gargantuan bid for Ansu Fati this summer.
Barcelona spent the vast majority of their summer desperately trying to wrest their enormous wage bill under control. The club’s debt topped £1 billion and continued to rise with each passing week. As a result, the La Liga powerhouse were forced into several moves in the window they did not wish to make.
Lionel Messi was the highest profile departure after La Liga ruled his new Barcelona contract could not be ratified. PSG were the ultimate beneficiaries, swooping in the for Argentine on a massive free agent deal.
However, one potential deal mooted throughout the summer surrounded Spanish wonderkid, Ansu Fati.
The 18-year-old has since assumed Messi’s No. 10 shirt, indicating how highly he is thought of at the Camp Nou.
But given his incredible potential, reports swirled during the window of a blockbuster €150m move to Man Utd. Barcelona’s financial woes would have been eased significantly had such a deal come to fruition.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo even went as far as to state an official bid had been lodged. Though the reliability of their claims remain in question.
Nonetheless, current Barca president Laporta has now responded to the Fati rumours, insisting a summer sale was never on the agenda.
“We never put him up for sale,” Laporta told Spanish outlet Cadena SER (via the Manchester Evening News).
“Another thing is that it appeared in a newspaper that an English club was going to make an offer.
“This offer never came. Ansu was brave because he accepted the ’10’, but he only accepted it if the captains gave him the green light.”
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Man Utd getting “unmatched” Ronaldo – Bale
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale admits that Manchester United are adding an unmatched goalscoring record to their ranks with the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Wales international Bale has seen Ronaldo’s talents first hand. The pair helped produce a tremendous period of success at the Bernabeu that spawned four Champions League titles.
Asked by Sky Sports about seeing his former team-mate back in the Premier League, Bale said: “I’m sure he’ll do well. He’s proven it before in the Premier League, so he understands the league.
“He’s done everything there is in football. His goalscoring ability is matched by no one else. [I am] excited for it like everyone else.”
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