Barcelona have now slashed their asking price for Ansu Fati amid interest from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Joan Laporta is desperate to raise cash to afford their transfer targets.
That is according to Sport, which reports Blaugrana president Laporta will pillage the Camp Nou ranks to raise funds. He is keen to secure Xavi a new forward, a striker and potentially another centre-half. But La Liga will not let Barcelona make any signings without vast sales.
Barcelona are up against the wall in the Catalan giants’ efforts to satisfy Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns. So, Laporta and Xavi agreed that only six players are untouchable and bids are welcome for anyone else. Among the names likely to leave include Fati and Raphinha.
Robert Lewandowski and, providing he signs a new contract, Ousmane Dembele are their only non-transferrable forwards. Barcelona also look at selling Fati with a regrettable but positive light as his departure would secure them clear profit being a product of La Masia.
Fati has also struggled to recapture his best form since recovering from a meniscus injury. Barcelona still have absolute confidence that the 20-year-old can return to his past levels, though. So, they would not let their forward leave Catalunya for less than €60m (£53.5m).
Laporta now slashes Barcelona’s price tag for Arsenal and Tottenham target Fati
Another point which helps to convince Barcelona to sanction the transfer of Fati is that the seven-cap Spain dynamo is not happy with his current situation under Xavi. The winger has only started 11 of his 36 appearances in all competitions this term, totalling 1,332 minutes.
Fati has still offered Barcelona six goals and three assists during his difficult season to earn interest from Arsenal and Tottenham in his transfer. La Vanguardia has reported the north London rivals will lead interest from Bayern Munich in a race for the forward this summer.
Liverpool and Manchester United also like the winger, though, per Fabrizio Romano. While Ben Jacobs has suggested that Barcelona would only sell Fati for €100m (£89m). But their financial woes has now seen Laporta slash his price tag for a star Eric Garcia called ‘magic’.
Laporta slashing Barcelona’s price for Fati’s transfer may convince Arsenal, Tottenham and their Premier League rivals to now step up their interest and push to agree on a quick deal.
Why are Barcelona so desperate to raise funds in the summer transfer window?
Barcelona are desperate to raise funds in the summer as La Liga president Javier Tebas told the Financial Times’ Business of Football summit that the Blaugrana are effectively blocked from making any signings. They can also only reinvest 40 per cent of any fee Laporta earns.
Tebas said, via quotes by the Daily Mail: “As of today, Barcelona doesn’t have any room in their budget to spend in the upcoming transfer window. Barcelona has been involved in questionable behaviour which has had an impact on La Liga and we are acting accordingly.
“We have ruled that they can no longer sign more players.” He added: “They have to drop from spending on wages and transfers from €650m (£579m) to €450m (£401m). So, it’s a budget of minus-€200m (£178m).
“They have to reduce their investment in players and we have encouraged them to sell players because for every amount they raise in sales, they can spend 40 per cent of that.”
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