West Ham United are one of the clubs said to have held talks over Barcelona’s Ansu Fati.
Earlier this year, it was claimed that Ansu Fati could have been a West Ham United player but for the intervention of key men at Barcelona.
Mundo Deportivo reported that West Ham, along with Real Madrid, Sevilla and Nice, negotiated with the youngster’s family and agents regarding a move last summer.
But between them, Rodrigo Messi, the brother of Barca’s Lionel and one of Fati’s representatives, and Jose Mari Bakero, the Catalan giants’ academy head, are said to have convinced the player to stay at Camp Nou.
According to Bleacher Report, however, West Ham had an agreement with the Fati camp and instead missed out due to passport red tape.
The website stated on Tuesday:
“An insider who had involvement in discussions over the deal explained to B/R how the Hammers came so close to signing Fati that his family had ‘agreed terms’.
“It was only issues over his Spanish passport that eventually meant he remained at the Camp Nou.”
Fati, who was born in Guinea Bissau but has Spanish citizenship, burst onto the scene at the start of this season becoming, at 16 years and 298 days old, the second-youngest player ever to appear for Barcelona.
The forward has since scored or assisted three goals in 10 games for Barca.
West Ham fans – how good a signing would Fati have been?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
