“He helped me a lot” – Arsenal star’s comments on Barcelona forward Ansu Fati resurfaces amid transfer links

Arsenal have been linked with a surprise move for Barcelona star Ansu Fati. Rumors emerged today after Manchester United and Bayern Munich were linked with the forward in the last few weeks.

Soon after the reports went live, Arsenal fans dug out an old quote from Gabriel Martinelli on Fati. The Brazilian once had a trial at the Catalan side and claimed that he was helped by the Spaniard during his time there.

Manchester United and Arsenal contacted Mendes to enquire about Ansu Fati, but have not made an offer. Fati’s desire is to succeed in Barcelona but is worried about his role in the team. [@HelenaCondis] #afc https://t.co/FMiIJXHOMv

In an interview with MARCA back in 2020, Martinelli claimed that he had a good time at Barcelona. He added that he trained with Fati and became friends after the youngster helped him out. He said:

"They (Barcelona) were very good, I made the most of it and did my best. Seeing how they train, knowing the structure of the club, the city … was a dream come true too.

"I even trained with Ansu Fati and we became friends. He helped me a lot there and now he's playing on the main team. He is a boy who deserves everything good that is happening to him. He is super humble and welcomed me super well there."

Barcelona have not ruled out a sale, but Joan Laporta has claimed that they are not thinking about it right now.

❗️Joan Laporta: “We’re currently not thinking of selling Ansu Fati, but I cannot predict the future. Our hopes are high for Fati. He has interested clubs, we know from his agent. It is clear that he wants to succeed here” #Transfers 🇪🇸

He has left the doors open for an exit in the future, with reports suggesting Arsenal will come knocking in the summer.

Club president Laporta said:

"We're currently not thinking of selling Ansu Fati, but I cannot predict the future. Our hopes are high for Fati. He has interested clubs, we know from his agent. It is clear that he wants to succeed here."

Arsenal eye Barcelona star after Chelsea hijack top target

Arsenal were stuck in talks with Shakhtar Donetsk when Chelsea swooped in and agreed a €100 million deal for Mykhailo Mudryk. The Gunners reportedly matched the offer from the Blues, but the Ukrainian opted to move to Stamford Bridge in the January window.

Mikel Arteta's side have now shifted their focus to Ansu Fati and are looking to lure the Spaniard away from Camp Nou. However, they are set to face competition from Manchester United, as the Red Devils are also keen on signing him.

Fati burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in 2019 and showed great potential right away. However, it has been a start-stop journey since then for the winger due to recurring injury issues. He has scored 25 goals and provided nine assists in 89 games across competitions.