Ansu Fati is a Barcelona player only because this legend convinced him to stay

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

José Mari Bakero was key in keeping Fati at the club

Ansu Fati had offers from Real Madrid, Sevilla, Nice, and West Ham and was very close to leaving for one of those teams recently, but former Barcelona player José Mari Bakero convinced Fati to stay, according to a new report.

Bakero is a youth scout for Barça these days, although the report notes that the management wants the player out of the club. However, he was said to be the key man to hammer out an agreement with Rodrigo Messi, Lionel Messi’s brother and one of Fati’s agents.

Fati renewed his contract until 2022, with two optional years after, and a release clause of 100 million euro.

Mundo Deportivo criticized the board for wanting Bakero out, saying they are “taking credit for a victory which is not theirs.”

We shall see if there’s another side to this story, but as things stand, Bakero has come out looking very good due to Fati’s progress since.

Bakero was an attacker in the 80s and 90s for Real Sociedad, Barcelona, and the Spanish national team. He’s remembered as a key part of the “Dream Team” that Johan Cruyff coached to Barcelona’s first European Cup victory.

Source: barcablaugranes.com