Barça are looking to tie Ansu Fati down to a bumper new contract

Ansu Fati is a wanted man throughout Europe. Jorge Mendes has spent speaks telling Camp Nou officials that Manchester United are ready to deposit the young forward's buyout clause. Until this moment, any offers or suggestions have been verbal and nothing more than that. However, FC Barcelona are aware of the interest in Ansu and don't want to take any unnecessary chances. The sporting department asked the board of directors if Ansu would be sold for €100m and the response was a firm 'no'. Instead, they want to sit down with him and discuss a contract which better reflects his new role in the first-team picture. 

Ansu only penned a new deal with Barça in December but it still listed him as part of the B team. Yet once Fati is officially promoted to the first team on a permanent basis, the salary and buyout clauses will rise as well. 

A few months ago the situation appeared to have changed. For a brief period, Ansu featured much less under Quique Setien and the winger asked for the club to show its faith in him. The player, and his entourage, believe the adaptation period is over and he should now be considered a regular member of the first team picture. This includes having an official squad number for the senior side and a professional contract, not an academy one.

There are various teams who are keeping an eye on developments. Mendes, who has links with Ansu's close friends, has asked Barça to name their asking price. Barça won't even consider letting the La Masia star leave. It was around this time that Borussia Dortmund asked to loan Ansu, or to buy him with a buy-back clause for Barça at a later date. However the club believed Fati would return to his best after the restart.

And that's exactly what happened. Ansu was suddenly back in Setien's plans and showed signs that not only will he be a key figure for the club's future but also its present. This is why Barça want to reward him with a contract that reflects that. It won't be easy as the club searches to balance its accounts but they are willing to do that to prove their faith in Ansu. 

Manchester United, via Mendes, are ready to pounce should something go wrong. Barça are confident that if they reward Ansu before the end of the current season, it'll put an end to the speculation. However, should the talks rumble on without a positive conclusion, then United could offer Fati a deal worth triple his current wage and that's something Barça can't match.