Jorge Mendes, the influential agent, is already in Barcelona to start discussing the future of four footballers whom he represents with pending accounts with FC Barcelona. The Portuguese has been handling Ansu Fati’s affairs since 2020. The footballer’s future at the club and his life hangs by a thread. Since 2021 Mendes has also represented Balde, who is in the process of renewing with the first team just like Lamine Yamal, the 15-year-old youth who has been in his portfolio since January 2023. He will also talk about the future of Nico González, whom he has represented since the 2022. The azulgrana, who this season has played on loan at Valencia, still does not convince Xavi. Mendes met yesterday afternoon with the footballers who are in Barcelona – all except Nico González, who is with the U-21 team – and today he will do so with the sports leadership.
Waiting for Xavi Hernández to speak with him this week, the youth player already knows that, along with Ferran Torres and Franck Kessié, he is one of those invited to leave the club. After inheriting the 10 from Messi in September 2021, Fati renewed with Barcelona until 2027 with a termination clause of 1,000 million euros. He currently has one of the highest chips in the squad but is also the team’s second goalscorer with 10 goals in his locker. The same goals as Raphinha although Fati scored them in 1,824 minutes compared to the 2,924 the Brazilian needed.
Fati has already made it clear to his agent that he does not want to leave but in the Barcelona leadership they believe that he will end up accepting at least one assignment. In the case of a sale, the club wants to maintain a non-mandatory repurchase option to be able to buy it back if it considers it so in the future. They are aware of his talent but believe that the best thing for him is a start so that he can recover his competitive tone and physique, diminished after the four knee operations. The club’s decision is also influenced by the fact that Ansu Fati is a player trained in the quarry whose sale would only bring net income to the operating account. Fati has a poster in the Premier League but the option of him entering into a player exchange operation with Rúben Neves from Wolverhampton is practically ruled out since the Portuguese midfielder is not to Xavi’s liking.
Last summer at Barça they expected Jorge Mendes to bring a good offer to the club for Alejandro Balde. A year later, the Catalan side has agreed to renew him with the Barça club after having become one of the great revelations of the season. After being a substitute in the first league game against Rayo Vallecano, Xavi opted for the left-back, who since then has become his favorite ahead of Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso. Nor do they rule it out to occupy the right side. Balde has played this season with a file and number from the subsidiary. He has a contract until 2024 but Barça wants to renew him until 2027 with a first-team record. It will not be possible in the short term. They need to sell. Meanwhile, Balde already has the interest of Bayern Munich and two other Premier League clubs on the table, but his desire is to continue as a blaugrana.
The talented 15-year-old youth is getting closer to signing his first contract as a professional until June 2024. The renewal, which should close before June 30, will be with a record and number from the subsidiary but with Xavi pampering him closely. If he renews, he will make sure the preseason and the tour of the United States with the first team and will continue to participate in training. He will also enjoy more minutes.
Before leaving on loan to Valencia, the youth squad player renewed his contract as a Barça player until June 2026 with a clause of 1,000 million euros. This course Nico could go back on loan, in this case to Betis. Xavi doesn’t want to lose sight of him but neither does he see him as a replacement for Sergio Busquets. Although they value his evolution more and more, they consider that his profile is more similar to that of Frenkie de Jong. “In that position the most important thing is not to run. It is knowing how to move the ball while maintaining the position ”, they recall.
