Arsenal have been linked with a surprise move for Barcelona star Ansu Fati. The rumors surfaced today after Manchester United and Bayern Munich were linked with the striker in recent weeks.
Shortly after the reports broke, Arsenal fans dug up an old Gabriel Martinelli quote about Fati. The Brazilian once had a trial at the Catalan side and claimed the Spaniard helped him during his time there.
Manchester United and Arsenal contacted Mendes to inquire about Ansu Fati, but have not made an offer. Fati’s wish is to succeed at Barcelona but he is worried about his role in the team. [@HelenaCondis] #afc https://t.co/FMiIJXHOMv
In an interview with MARCA back in 2020, Martinelli assured that he had a good time at Barcelona. He added that he trained with Fati and they became friends after the youngster helped him. He said:
“They (Barcelona) were very good, I made the most of it and gave my best. Seeing how they train, getting to know the structure of the club, the city… it was also a dream come true.
I even trained with Ansu Fati and we became friends. He helped me a lot there and now he is playing in the main team. He is a boy who deserves everything good that is happening to him. He is super humble and he received me super well. there.”
Barcelona does not rule out a sale, but Joan Laporta has assured that they are not thinking about it right now.
Joan Laporta: “Currently we are not thinking of selling Ansu Fati, but I cannot predict the future. Our hopes are high for Fati. He has interested clubs, we know it from his agent. It is clear that he wants to succeed here ” 
❗️Joan Laporta: “Currently we are not thinking of selling Ansu Fati, but I cannot predict the future. Our hopes are high for Fati. He has interested clubs, we know it from his agent. It is clear that he wants to succeed here ” #Transfers 🇪🇸
He has left the door open for a future exit, with reports suggesting Arsenal will play in the summer.
The club’s president, Laporta, said:
“Currently we are not thinking of selling Ansu Fati, but I cannot predict the future. Our hopes are high for Fati. He has interested clubs, we know that from his agent. It is clear that he wants to succeed here.”
Arsenal eyes Barcelona star after Chelsea kidnap top target
Arsenal were locked in talks with Shakhtar Donetsk when Chelsea stepped in and agreed a €100m deal for Mykhailo Mudryk. The Gunners reportedly matched the Blues’ offer, but the Ukrainian opted to move to Stamford Bridge in the January window.
Mikel Arteta’s side have now shifted their focus to Ansu Fati and are looking to move the Spaniard away from the Camp Nou. However, they will face competition from Manchester United as the Red Devils are also interested in signing him.
Fati burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in 2019 and showed great potential immediately. However, he has been a stop-start journey ever since for the winger due to recurring injury issues. He has scored 25 goals and provided nine assists in 89 inter-competition games.