Ansu Fati
Ansu Fati will be given one last chance to impress for Barcelona after returning from injury
Barcelona forward Ansu Fati is being given one last chance to save his Nou Camp career after recovering from injury, according to reports.
Fati was once seen as one of Europe's brightest talents and it was claimed that Manchester United had a £83.5million bid rejected in 2020. Barcelona later managed to tied him down to a new deal with a release clause of £363m.
But the winger has been unable to push on in his career and quickly fell out of favour with the Catalan club, who loaned him out to Brighton in the 2023-24 season.
Injuries have not helped the 22-year-old's progress, with two different fitness issues keeping him out of the team for much of the season so far.
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Fati was once seen as Barcelona's brightest talent and signed a new contract in 2021 ( Image: AFP via Getty Images)](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ruben-amorim-sporting-replacement-sacked-34368844)
According to Spanish outlet Sport, Fati will now be given the second half of the season to earn a place back in the team. However, it goes on to say that manager Hansi Flick will be forced to put him on the transfer list next summer if he fails to kick on.
Fati, whose played seven times this season, still has a contract running until 2027 but he looks far down the pecking order at present with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal enjoying superb seasons and firmly first choice under Flick. Even Fermin Lopez looks to be ahead of him after emerging from the academy.
Fati was involved in the matchday squad for Barcelona's 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Saturday but didn't come off the bench, but with the club suffering some poor form following two losses and a draw in their last two games, Flick may opt to call upon him.
Fati with Barcelona president Joan Laporta during his contract signing ceremony in 2021
Fati was once seen as Barcelona's brightest talent and signed a new contract in 2021
He is the club's youngest ever scorer after netting for the first team as a 16-year-old and picked up his first cap for Spain at 17. He scored eight times from 33 appearances in his first season, but after that failed move to United in 2020, Fati struggled for consistency and fitness.
Fati played only 25 times across both of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before featuring 51 times in 2022-23, but was then sent to Brighton - where he scored four goals in 27 games.
Flick had previously given Fati hope of getting minutes under his leadership in the summer after being impressed by him in training before his injury.
The German said: "Ansu on the first days was unbelievable. He was very fit, and he showed it on the pitch and in training. And now it is not good and we don’t have him here and in America, but we will help him come back stronger."
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