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Manchester City have reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign Ansu Fati from Barcelona.
The 18-year-old has been sidelined for almost a year due to an injury but was handed the hallowed number 10 jersey following Lionel Messi's departure.
Despite the show of faith, the club have stalled on offering a contract extension to the Spain international, and this has not sat well with his camp.
According to a report by El Nacional, Fati's agent, Jorge Mendes, is trying to force Barcelona's hand by offering his client to other clubs.
One of the clubs on his list is Manchester City, but the Premier League giants are not interested, with Pep Guardiola reportedly pulling the plug on the deal.
The Etihad outfit have an abundance of quality in attack, and any potential move for Ansu Fati is little more than a luxury signing.
By contrast, the La Masia graduate is integral to Barcelona's future plans owing to the massive rebuilding going on at Camp Nou.
In light of this, Pep Guardiola is wary of giving the green light to any move that could be detrimental to the Catalans.
The Manchester City manager has a strong affinity with the Camp Nou outfit, having come through the ranks to become club captain in his playing days. He also laid the foundation for what has been a legendary coaching career at Camp Nou, winning everything there is to win at Barcelona.
Barcelona counting on Ansu Fati to be the cornerstone for the near future
It is no longer news that Barcelona's disastrous financial standing meant they had to embark on large-scale cut-costing measures.
The Blaugrana's wage bill was simply untenable. This led to the departure of Lionel Messi, despite the club having agreed on a contract extension with the Rosario native.
Antoine Griezmann has also departed the club to join Atletico Madrid on loan, while senior players have agreed to pay cuts.
In light of their financial constraints, Barcelona would not be able to make necessary augmentations in the transfer market. This will put extra pressure on the players currently on the books to considerably step up their output.
This is where Ansu Fati comes in. The talented forward is one of the highest-rated players in his age grade, and big things are expected from him at Camp Nou.
His long spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury has hampered his progress. However, Barcelona fans will be hoping that he can continue his upward trajectory when he returns to full fitness.
