Barcelona coach Valverde wants Ansu Fati to play for Spain U21s

Barcelona coach Valverde wants Ansu Fati to play for Spain U21s

Ansu Fati, una apuesta de Valverde
Ansu Fati, una apuesta de Valverde | sport

If Ansu plays for the U17s at the World Cup Barcelona would lose him for a month

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde says he hopes Ansu Fati is called up Spain U21s, not the U17s for next month's World Cup in Brazil. 

Ansu has received Spanish citizenship and is on the 50 player list for the World Cup, but the RFEF will hold a meeting next week to decide what's best for him. 

If he travels to the World Cup, Barcelona would lose the 16-year-old for up to a month -- meaning he could miss as many as seven games. 

However, if Spain decided to fast track him to the U21s, he would only be absent during the international break. 

"I would like the player to spend more time with us," Valverde said. "If he goes with the U21s, it would be during the international break.

"In contrast, if he's with the U17s, he would be gone for a while. But we have to see what happens, what the RFEF decide. We don't have much to say.

"Everyone looks at it from their point of view, logically, and we want to lose him for as little time as possible." 

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