Has Ansu Fati's fate at Barcelona already been sealed?

Inheriting the blessed number 10 shirt after Lionel Messi is a cross not many can bear. In fact, not many would even try in the first place. Why bother? The chances of success are non-existent to minimal, the inevitable comparisons with Messi are more an anchor than a boost and expectations are on an unhealthily high level for anyone, let alone a teen with little senior football exposure.

But if there was someone who could be deemed worthy through his inherent ability, talent and background then that someone would be Ansu Fati. After all, he is the prodigal son destined to take Barcelona back to glory and do it in style. The arrival of Xavi as the coach seemed to have only confirmed that scenario too. Catalonia’s favourite son coaching Messi’s heir apparent to restore the greatness that was once Blaugrana? The script couldn’t be more perfect even if it was written in the pantheon of the footballing deities themselves. Alas, things rarely pan out the way we’d like them to and at the moment of writing, Ansu seems closer to the exit door than he is to greatness.

When you’re 10 points clear with a game in hand, are playing a bottom-of-the-table club in Getafe regardless of the difficult away history you have with them, are fielding an already weakened squad and Ansu still can’t make the cut, it’s time to ask questions. And I mean the serious and seriously uncomfortable ones. Are Barça hiding something from us? I’m not one for conspiracy theories but Dan Hilton of the BarcelonaPod recently put a bug in my ear with this one.

Let’s think about it for a second. Ansu is only 20 years old and his ceiling is incredibly high. Or at least, it used to be - pre-injury. But now, amidst his obvious struggle and lack of palpable game time, we’ve not only seen reports quoting very specific numbers like the €40M price tag but his father also came out publicly speaking against the club. Of course, Ansu distanced himself from those quotes but the damage had already been done and doubt planted. Because how could they not be?

Highs and lows are normal for 20-year-olds. In fact, they are expected and to a certain extent, even welcomed because they mould the player physically, tactically and mentally. So for Barcelona to put one of their hottest LaMasia products on the market - a player with Ansu’s ball-striking, intelligence, goal tallies and records under his belt - for €40M at the age of 20 after a solitary season of underperformance is strange at best and ominous at worst. That simply does not and should not happen. You do not give up on such a talent, on such short notice and for such a low price. Unless, of course, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

While this is well in the conspiracy theory camp, there is a chance Barcelona and Ansu’s entourage both know the true extent of the player’s injury. Or rather, the true extent of the damage the injury had done to the player. What if €40M, as low as it may sound to us, is Barcelona cutting their losses and getting money for him while they still can because they know the player we once knew and the player we still want Ansu to be is long lost? There is a world in which that holds true and as sad as it may be, we might be living in that world.

I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation as to why Ansu rarely starts games and why he finishes only the very few he starts but that explanation may be far more painful than we’d like it to be. Today’s game is another great example of that. Barcelona are fielding an already weakened team against a comparatively weaker squad in a largely comfortable league context. Yes, Getafe are tough at home. Yes, Getafe are highly physical. And yes, Getafe might pose a problem for Ansu. But none of that would matter if Ansu himself was the player Xavi needs him to be. That player would take Getafe’s intensity, aggression and physicality and still find ways to disrupt their compact low block. He would still find ways to rattle the inside of their net. And he would still find ways to take Barcelona’s attack to an entirely different level.

But Ansu is nowadays rarely that player. Instead, he is this shadow of his former self with great instincts but nothing to back them up with. His numbers are still fairly impressive - he gets into a lot of good chances to score but the conversion rate of those chances is abysmally low. The finishing for which we used to praise him has become a weakness. Now, don’t misunderstand me for a second. Do I think Barcelona should give up on him already? Absolutely not. But do I think they will? Well, at this point, it would be fair to assume Ansu’s got more than just a foot out the exit door.

I wouldn’t be too far off by saying football would be robbed of a generational talent if Ansu were to fail. Not to mention Barcelona would lose a superstar in making; a hero to carry the torch into the future. But football, just like fate, is a cruel mistress.

We can hold onto hope but at this point, that might be the only thing we’ve got left.