Barcelona Could Be Close to Netting $12.9 Million With First Outgoing Summer Transfer

A former La Masia wonderkid could bolster Barcelona’s summer transfer funds.

Ansu Fati (left) is trying to revive his career in Ligue 1. | Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Getty Images

The Ansu Fati era at Barcelona could come to an everlasting end this summer, with reports indicating AS Monaco are “seriously considering” triggering his purchase option to keep him at the Principality.

The former La Masia gem joined Monaco on loan ahead of the 2025–26 season, and the agreement between clubs included a purchase option worth €11 million ($12.9 million).

With under two months left in the campaign, L’Equipe reports that Monaco are satisfied with what Fati has produced in his debut season with the club and are interested in acquiring the 23-year-old permanently this summer. Fati has featured 25 times for Monaco this term, already eclipsing the 1,000 minute mark in 2025–26, and has nine goals to his name, becoming the club’s second leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 this season.

But it’s still not a guarantee that Fati will extend his stint in Monaco; a massive hurdle stands in the way and must be addressed first.

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Monaco Can’t Afford Ansu Fati Salary

Ansu Fati’s Barcelona wages are simply too high for Monaco. | Franco Arland/Getty Images

Signing a 23-year-old winger that has shown incredible potential for $12.9 million is an absolute bargain in today’s market. But the main issue Monaco most navigate is to come to an agreement with Fati over a new contract.

Monaco are paying only half of Fati’s salary during his loan, with Barcelona still on the hook for the other half. According to the report, Monaco are paying Fati €250,000 ($293,162) per month. If they were to pay his salary in full, Fati would significantly overtake the highest earners at the Ligue 1 club, Eric Dier and Denis Zakaria, who receive €330,000 ($386,974) per month.

It’s simply unrealistic to expect Monaco to feel comfortable with making Fati—who has just four starts in 2026—their highest earner by a considerable margin. An agreement would have to be reached between the player and club to significantly lower his wages if he wants to make the Principality his permanent home.

Barcelona extended Fati’s contract for an extra year before his departure last summer, tying him to his boyhood club until the summer of 2028. This gives the Catalans some range to maneuver—even if they don’t sell Fati this summer, they’re not at risk of losing him for free in 2027.

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Monaco Remains Best Option for Fati

Ansu Fati’s struggles for consistency have halted his progress. | Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for Fati at Monaco, as injuries and inconsistent performances continue to be synonymous with the former Barcelona No. 10. But it’s also true that, when healthy, he’s been a regular contributor, averaging a goal every 114 minutes played this season.

At this stage in his career, the former wonderkid needs to find consistency both on the pitch and outside of it. A return to Barcelona could once again prove detrimental considering he’d either be sent elsewhere to his third club in as many years or kept in Catalonia, where he’d struggle for playing time—he registered less than 300 minutes with the Blaugrana in 2024–25.

Reaching an agreement on personal terms to stay in Monaco permanently could be exactly what Fati needs. At only 23, he still has time to rescue his once promising career, but he needs regular playing time to reach his full potential.

Fati’s move to Monaco could be in the best interest of all parties involved. The player could continue his career revival, Monaco would secure a bargain signing and Barcelona would cash-in on a player Hansi Flick no longer wanted, further gathering funds for a transfer window where the club has ambitious objectives to reinforce the squad for 2027–28.

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