How Barcelona are planning Ansu Fati's first team future at Camp Nou

Barcelona will have to back players from the academy due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ansu Fati is one of the youngsters that has burst onto the scene this season and the idea is that he takes on a bigger role next season, staying with the first team and gaining weight in the team. The bet on Ansu is clear and Barça believe he can continue to perform in LaLiga. 

Ansu was the great surprise at the start of the season. Ernesto Valverde, due to necessity more than anything else because of injuries, turned to the then 16-year-old and he responded. The attacker scored against Osasuna and Valencia. He has since renewed his contract until 2022 with the option for an additional two years and a 170 million euro release clause. It will rise to 400 million when he's made a first-team player permanently, something the club are planning in the coming months. 

His chances cooled down when other attackers returned and, after featuring regularly in the first weeks of Quique Setien's reign, he wasn't playing regularly before football was suspended. Despite that, he's still the club's big hope for the new project. 

Barça now consider him a first-team player but they will look into the possibility of using him in the B team if, in the end, the reserves compete in the promotion playoffs in Spain's third tier. Ansu is ready to take on that challenge if it happens but it would be his last (and first) involvement with Barça B in a competitive game. His future is in the Primera Division. 

The big dilemma is how often he plays if Neymar and Lautaro Martinez arrive. The Blaugrana are fighting for both of them, although it will be complicated to sign either.  In principle, Fati would get chances when the season starts -- even more than Ousmane Dembele, who is still recovering from injury -- and a decision would be made later based on the signings that arrive. 

The club are clear they can't lose one of the most exciting talents to come from La Masia in recent years. He's professional and Barça want to take advantage of him, but they can't stunt his development. The idea is that he's in the first team, though. However, depending on other factors, Barça could opt for a loan, although that is not on the table at this moment in time.