LaLiga side open talks to sign Barcelona star who was compared to Lionel Messi - Reports
Ansu Fati, who was once considered Lionel Messi's heir at Barcelona, is wanted by Sevilla in January, according to Diario SPORT. The Spanish forward is a forgotten man at Camp Nou and is likely to be on his way out next year.
Fati rose through the ranks at La Masia and broke into the first team in 2019. He was so impressive that he was handed Lionel Messi's fabled No. 10 shirt after the Argetinean left the Catalans in 2021.
However, the 21-year-old has failed to live up to the legacy of the diminutive magician, with injuries and lack of form hurting his chances with Barcelona. Fati is no longer a first team regular under Hansi Flick, who has a sizzling frontline at his disposal.
Indeed, the Spaniard has registered just seven appearances across competitions this season for the Catalans, starting just one of them. He picked up a muscle injury earlier this month and is currently sidelined.
Sevilla are attentive to his situation and believe they can help rejuvenate his career. Manager Garcia Pimienta worked with the player during their time together at La Masia and is confident he can get Fati firing on all cylinders.
The Andalusian club are ready to prise him away in January to bolster their attack. Barcelona are also willing to let him go permanently in the winter as they can no longer guarantee him regular game time.
However, Sevilla's poor finances could pose a problem to the move. The club are under no condition to afford Fati's current wages and may need the Catalans to help them out at least until the end of the season. They also have to convince the Spaniard, who has been reluctant to permanently leave Camp Nou so far.
How many free kicks has Lionel Messi scored for Barcelona?
Lionel Messi has scored 50 free-kick goals for Barcelona in his career. The Argentinean has registered 672 goals and 303 assists from 778 games for the Catalans in total.
The 37-year-old first scored a direct free kick for the LaLiga giants in the 2008-09 season against Atletico Madrid in the league. His 50th for Barcelona arrived in his final season, against Valencia, also in the league.
In total, Lionel Messi scored 39 free kicks in LaLiga, five in the Champions League, and three in the Copa del Rey. He also has two free kick goals in the UEFA Super Cup and one in the Supercopa de Espana.