Arsenal and Newcastle United told what transfer target ‘wants’ as Spain international eyed

Arsenal and Newcastle United have been warned against making a move for Barcelona star Ansu Fati after both clubs reportedly showed an interest in the young forward.

The Guinea-born winger burst on to the scene with the Catalan giants when he made his senior debut at the age of just 16-years-old in a 5-2 home win against Real Betis in August 2019. A first professional goal followed less than two weeks later when Fati netted in a 2-2 draw at Osasuna to become Barca’s youngest ever goalscorer.

More records fell over the coming months as he became the youngest player in La Liga history to score and provide an assist in the same game as he made his first senior start in a 5-2 Camp Nou win against Valencia in the second month of the same season. However, a knee injury that led to an operation hampered his attempts to build on a promising first season in the senior setup with the Catalan giants and further injury issues have limited the impact he has made during the current campaign as Barca claimed a first La Liga title in four years.

There had been speculation linking the seven-times capped Spain international with a move to the Premier League as Arsenal, Newcastle and Wolverhampton Wanderers were all suggested as possible destinations. But Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed his club will ‘count on’ Fati next season and described the youngster as ‘a player of high quality’.

He told TV3: “Ansu Fati is a player we want at the club, and he wants to stay at Barca, too.

“Now he is coming on more. He is a man we count on. It is the coaching staff who will have to decide what happens with Ansu next season. He is a Barca player. We love him. He is a player of high quality and integrated (into our squad). I know he wants to succeed at Barca. We’ll see how it goes.”