Barcelona’s latest talented youngster Ansu Fati rejected a chance to join arch-rivals Real Madrid according to his father Bora Fati.

In a recent interview as reported by Spanish publication Sport, Bora Fati, the father of Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati, has revealed that the talented teenager had a chance to join Real Madrid, but chose to sign for the Catalan giants instead.

Ansu Fati made history this past weekend, as he became the second-youngest player to represent Barcelona in La Liga when he came on as a substitute in the champions’ 5-2 win over Real Betis. Aged 16 years and 298 days, the teenage sensation missed out on becoming the club’s youngster player in a league fixture by 20 days, with Vicente Martinez holding the record.

Ansu Fati joined the Barcelona youth academy in 2012 from fellow La Liga outfit Sevilla at the age of ten years. And according to his father, the 16-year-old had a chance to join the Catalans’ bitter rivals Real Madrid at the time, who had put forth a much better financial package than Barcelona.

Ansu Fati rejected Real Madrid for Barcelona (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Ansu Fati rejected Real Madrid for Barcelona (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“I had an offer from Madrid which was for a lot of money. But Albert Puig came and told me they were from Barca and had a project. In a few years I saw what they meant. We knew it would work but we never imagined he would be playing alongside such beasts,” Bora Fati told RAC 1, as reported by Sport.

Held in very high regard within the club, Ansu Fati signed a new contract with Barcelona earlier this summer, snubbing interest from Premier League giants Manchester United. The contract is said to contain a €100 million release clause, highlighting the Catalan outfit’s faith in the teenage winger.

Injuries to star forwards Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele meant Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde was short on options in the attacking department, leading to Ansu Fati’s call-up to the senior team for the fixture against Real Betis. And while there was little time left when he came on, the 16-year-old showed glimpses of the prodigious talent that he possesses.

Contracted with Barcelona till the summer of 2022, with an option of additional two years, the youngster might not get a lot of first-team minutes this season once the star players return, but he is definitely one to keep an eye out for in the years to come.

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