Barcelona reject offer for forward – ‘insufficient’

Barcelona and Ansu Fati look set to part ways for a second time this summer, having spent last season on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion. If that spell was about getting back to his best to recover his form for the Catalan giants, this time the separation seems much more angled towards a permanent exit.

Fati, 22, featured sparingly for Barcelona this season, and while he rejected a loan move in January to fight for his place, became increasingly frustrated in the second half of the season. It appears both Fati and Barcelona are keen on an exit, with no sign of opportunities coming under Hansi Flick.

For several weeks now interest from AS Monaco has been expected to transpire into a move for Fati. There has been some doubt over whether it would be on a permanent basis, or a loan with an option to buy. The latest in that regard had come from Sport, who noted that the deal was likely to be a loan with an option to buy for €12m. Barcelona would then retain a sell-on fee for Fati.

Now Marca are reporting that Monaco have submitted an offer for Fati, and the Blaugrana have turned it down. They considered it ‘insufficient’, with Monaco only looking for a loan move without paying his entire salary. Barcelona were initially hoping for a sale with a buyback option, but Monaco do not want to buy him outright, and Barcelona are keen not to be paying a significant portion of his salary.

Their information is that agent Jorge Mendes will continue working on a formula that will suit both parties, but there is no guarantee that Monaco will make a second approach. Fati is reportedly one of the highest-paid players in the squad, and shifting his salary will be no easy feat.