MANCHESTER UNITED are willing to splurge £153MILLION on Ansu Fati before Barcelona hand him a new contract which includes a £360m buyout clause, according to reports.
The Red Devils refused to meet Borussia Dortmund’s £108m valuation of Jadon Sancho earlier this month.
Man Utd have turned their attention to £153m-rated Ansu FatiCredit: AP:Associated Press
Man Utd have all-but given up on Jadon SanchoCredit: PA:Press Association
Instead, club chiefs offered around £60m to £70m up front, with the remainder paid in instalments.
But United are rumoured to be willing to pay £45m MORE on Fati, claim Mundo Deportivo.
Still aged just 17, Fati’s stock will only continue to rise after his breakout season at the Nou Camp.
The young winger was quickly placed on Barcelona’s “untouchables” list, along with fellow youngster Riqui Puig.
Three years Sancho’s junior, the pair have very different futures ahead of them.
Sancho is seen as a short-term talent by Borussia Dortmund – who will happily cash in as soon as their £108m valuation is met.
It is now likely Sancho will stay for one more season and will be sold next summer after Man Utd missed the August 10 deadline set by the German giants.
Ansu Fati is being lined up to become the natural successor to Lionel MessiCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Meanwhile, Fati is being tipped as being the reincarnation of Lionel Messi.
The 33-year-old club legend shocked the Laliga giants by suggesting he wants to quit the Nou Camp this summer – with Paris Saint-Germain hoping to sign him.
Fati is now being lined up to become Barca’s shining light for the next decade and beyond.
Barcelona are said to be readying a new contract for the young Spaniard in order to tie him down for the long haul.
However, as with all LaLiga players, there WILL be a release clause in his contract.
Desperate to avoid losing Fati, Barca are set to make his release fee nearly DOUBLE the world-record transfer fee – currently the £198m Paris Saint-Germain spent on Neymar – at £360m.
Fati played 33 times in all competitions for Barcelona last season, scoring eight times.
He also earned his first two caps for the Spain Under-21 squad – and has now been named in his first full senior squad, for the opening two games of their 2020-21 Uefa Nations League campaign.
And Man Utd appear to have turned their attention fully to Fati having all-but given up on Sancho.
Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati scores ridiculous goals in training including mid-air back-heel volley
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
