Jorge Mendes and Barcelona had it all worked out this summer.
Ruben Neves would move to the Camp Nou and Ansu Fati would be off to Wolves. It would help the Blaugrana’s accounts and the agent would be able to fulfil a potential promise he made to the midfielder when he left Porto as a youngster.
Unfortunately, two things stood in the way.
Those were Xavi Hernandez being resolutely against signing Neves, regardless of what his superiors thought, and Fati not wanting to sign for Wolves under any circumstances.
AS report the collapsed move to Wolves isn’t the only problem Barcelona are having with Fati. Indeed, he doesn’t want to go anywhere and that’s causing frustration for a club who are increasingly keen on a sale.
They also want to get rid of Ferran Torres, and are ‘disappointed by the attitude’ of both players, who are insisting they want to remain at Barcelona for the coming season.
Mendes managed to get himself a big commission chunk for Neves anyway, thanks to Saudi Arabia, and he’ll be hoping similar can happen with Ansu Fati before the end of the window.