There were contacts with Barça. Of course, but I also told my agents not to get too excited. I was very clear that Athletic were not going to let me leave if a club did not come and pay the €40 million of the termination clause.
Ansu Fati has managed to rebuild rhythm and confidence after a difficult period at Barcelona, where injuries and inconsistency disrupted his development. Across 24 appearances, he has registered nine goals and accumulated close to 1,000 minutes of action in France's top flight.
Frenkie de Jong has taken a significant step forward in his recovery, training with the group for the second consecutive session. The Dutch midfielder is now pushing to be available for the upcoming Catalan derby against Espanyol, which is a development that could not have come at a better time.
Barcelona's formal complaint about the handball incident reflects the frustration of fans when a match's outcome relies on a referee's interpretation of a player's intent rather than clear rules.