Barcelona faces a dilemma with potential departures of stars.

Barcelona faces a tough setback in its ambitious plans for the summer transfer market. The Catalan giant aims to make several significant signings, but urgently needs to offload players from its squad. Among the names suggested for departure are Marc-André ter Stegen, Marc Casado, and Robert Lewandowski, but one case that could further complicate the situation is that of Ansu Fati.

The young Spanish talent has been losing ground at Barcelona in recent years and was loaned to AS Monaco last summer. Although he showed a reasonable performance in Ligue 1, the possibility of a permanent transfer is far from assured. The French club holds a purchase option of 11 million euros, but before exercising that right, it needs to reach an agreement with Fati regarding his salary terms — a point that could hinder the deal.

According to journalist Andi Onrubia, speaking to Cadena SER, the financial situation could be a serious obstacle: “Ansu receives around 250,000 euros net per month from Monaco, but it’s not just that; Barcelona still subsidizes part of his salary, which is too high for the French club’s capabilities. For Ansu to remain at Monaco, the most important thing is to reach an agreement for a significant reduction in his salary, as Monaco is facing severe economic issues due to the crisis affecting French football. They will not commit financially in an irresponsible manner or pay an excessive amount for the Spanish international.”

This scenario puts Ansu Fati at a decisive crossroads. He either accepts a substantial pay cut to stay at Monaco, or he will have to return to Barcelona, where his reintegration into Hansi Flick’s squad seems out of the question. If he returns, Barcelona will need to quickly find a new solution for his departure, which will not be easy given the complexity of the negotiations.

This situation casts a shadow over Barcelona’s plans for the transfer market, as the inability to offload players like Fati could hinder the much-desired signings the club aims to make to strengthen the squad. The future of the 23-year-old is now at stake, and the coming weeks will be crucial in clarifying his destiny.

Stay tuned for more updates on this saga that could change the course of the summer transfer market and profoundly impact Barcelona’s future. Don’t miss the latest news and rumors, always updated and tailored to your favorite sports and teams.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.